Minnesota law enforcement officials are voicing caution due to what has been a month of unusually high numbers of extreme speeding citations.

In July the state saw 21 convictions of drivers exceeding 100 mph as the result of a statewide crackdown on speeding, and although the ramped-up efforts paid off, law enforcement officials don't like what they are seeing.

"Many motorists fail to see the dangers in speeding and don't understand its deadly consequences," State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske said in a press release. "This campaign focuses on educating drivers that when your speed increases, so does your risk of crashing."

However, the heavy fines, potential suspension of driver's licenses and inflated insurance premiums that come with such blatant speeding violations aren't what Minnesota drivers, or any driver for that matter, should be most concerned about.

The potential loss of life is obviously the biggest toll any person can pay when driving in excess of the posted limit with a total of 86 speeding related deaths in Minnesota in 2010 alone.

Also, Minnesota isn't alone with their speeding problem. According to a recent nationwide survey by Allstate, nine out of 10 motorists admitted to exceeding posted speed limits, and 40 percent said they had topped the limit by more than 20 mph.

All the while, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2009 speeding was a major factor in over one-third of all fatal crashes nationwide.

But, for those motorists fortunate enough to hold on to life, there are a heap of other residual costs that can haunt them for years.

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), a motorist's driving record, including any citations for exceeding posted limits or other infractions, is a major factor in determining the price he or she will pay for auto insurance coverage, and those with tarnished records seeking coverage even from cheap insurance companies are likely to have difficulty finding inexpensive car insurance rates.

That's because insurance companies take into account statistics from organizations like the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) who cautions that driving at excessive rates of speed is dangerous due to the overwhelming evidence that it makes a driver far more likely to lose control of a vehicle, increases the distance required to stop, cuts the time a motorist has to avoid a crash and increases crash severity.

—AJ Register