Marco Rubio and his wife have been cited 17 times for traffic infractions

Sen. Marco Rubio has been in a hurry to get to the top, rising from state legislator to U.S. senator in the span of a decade and now running for president at age 44.

But politics is not the only area where Rubio, a Republican from Florida, has an affinity for the fast track. He and his wife, Jeanette, have also shown a tendency to be in a rush on the road.

According to a search of the Miami-Dade and Duval County court dockets, the Rubios have been cited for numerous infractions over the years for incidents that included speeding, driving through red lights and careless driving. A review of records dating back to 1997 shows that the couple had a combined 17 citations: Marco Rubio with four and his wife with 13. On four separate occasions they agreed to attend remedial driving school after a violation.

Rubio's troubles behind the wheel predate his days in politics. In 1997, when he was cited for careless driving by a Florida Highway Patrol officer, he was fined and took voluntary driving classes. A dozen years later, in 2009, he was ticketed for speeding on a highway in Duval County and found himself back in driver improvement school.

Things got more complicated in 2011 when Rubio was alerted to the fact that his license was facing suspension after a traffic camera caught him failing to stop at a red light in his beige Buick. His attorney, Alex Hanna, paid a $16 fee to delay the suspension, and eventually it was dismissed.

"Sen. Rubio's license has always been in good standing," Hanna said in a statement provided by Rubio's campaign. "This matter was resolved by the court system, and at no point was the license suspended by the DMV."

That was not the last time Rubio was ticketed. In 2012 he was caught failing to obey a stop sign, but the infraction was dismissed.

Marco Rubio hired Hanna, a Miami-based lawyer and donor, whose website sales pitch says, "Have you received a traffic ticket? Don't pay it." With Hanna's help, Marco Rubio's last two citations were dismissed and seven of Jeanette Rubio's last eight were cleared.

Marco Rubio's campaign had no comment on the traffic violations or whether Jeanette Rubio's license was ever suspended.

And not all accidents become police matters. Earlier this year, Jeanette Rubio, sideswiped a Porsche Panamera. According to the Miami Herald, the police declined to take a report on the incident because it was a "minor" fender bender.

If Marco Rubio is fortunate to make it as far as the White House, there will be many perks that come with the job. Chief among them, however, might be having a driver.