Nobody likes getting a traffic ticket–they’re expensive, cause your auto insurance rate to increase and are a real pain in the you-know-what. But according to a new study, a ticket could save your life.  Research published in The Lancet, a medical journal, has found that drivers are more conscientious after being ticketed, at least for a while.  Researchers found that for a few weeks after receiving a traffic ticket, a driver’s chances of being killed in an automobile accident fall by 35 percent.

After three or four months, though, the impact wears off and drivers continue to leadfoot around town.  So, the next time a cop gives you a ticket, give him a big smile and say thank you–he or she may be saving your life.