As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc and people attempt to self-isolate, fewer cars are on the road. The result is that speeding has increased significantly throughout 2020. Toward the beginning of December, California Highway Patrol caught one BMW 4 Series owner reaching 131 mph. According to ABC 7 News, CHP has seen an increase of about 87 percent in speeding tickets issued for traveling over 100 mph.

The BMW 4 Series owner hit 131 mph in a 55 mph zone

In an image posted to Twitter, CHP announced that it had stopped a driver going 131 mph on the public road. However, they chose to post an image of both the vehicle and the ticket itself, giving us plenty of information. We clearly see in the photo that the vehicle in question is a BMW 4 Series, for starters. Additionally, we can see that it is being loaded up into the back of a tow truck, likely heading to the impound yard.

The reason why the BMW 4 Series was immediately impounded relates directly to the speed cited. We can clearly see that the speedy 131-mph ticket was recorded in a 55 mph zone. Furthermore, CHP’s tweet outlines that the driver will not only get their vehicle impounded but face extensive fines and points on their record.

While there was little to no room for the BMW 4 Series driver to talk their way out of the citation, it can certainly get worse. According to ABC 7 News, CHP noted that the driver in question had a suspended license. This is why we see the ticket featuring two separate charges. Aside from potentially resulting in heftier fines, the suspended license could indicate that speeding is a bit of a habit for this driver.

The car in question is a BMW 440i

While hitting 131 mph may prove challenging for a Toyota Corolla, it seems to be a piece of cake for the BMW 4 Series. In fact, the model shown in CHP’s photo reveals that it is a high-trimmed 440i model. Under the hood of the 440i lives a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine. All 320-hp can be sent to either the rear wheels or all wheels, depending on options. In terms of transmission options, you can have either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual.

Like most fast BMW models, the 440i is electronically limited to 155 mph. However, this doesn’t mean that it is the vehicle’s true top speed. In fact, a simple ECU flash could remove the limiter, allowing the driver to go much faster. However, in the case of this citation, the BMW 4 Series didn’t even get to hit its limiter. With a 0-60 mph time of around five seconds, the sporty coupe likely hit the magic 131 mph rather quickly.

California Highway Patrol has been quite busy in 2020

This reckless BMW 4 Series owner certainly isn’t the only driver caught red-handed by CHP. According to ABC 7 News, CHP has handed out 87 percent more citations for speeds of over 100 mph in 2020 than during the same period in 2019. As mentioned earlier, this is directly attributed to the impact of COVID-19 and stay at home orders. Like with the BMW owner posted above, the CHP has taken to Twitter and Instagram to share images of citations and impounded vehicles in an attempt to discourage speeding drivers. However, given the massive spike in citations, it seems they will remain quite busy moving into 2021.