There's no doubt that driving a high-end luxury car like a Mercedes attracts attention, but drivers should determine if they attract the right kind of attention before they purchase a new or used car.

According to a recent study by Verisk Analytics, a San Francisco-based firm that assists insurance companies in policy decisions, drivers in some types of vehicles are far more likely to receive a ticket than others.

The "winner" was the Mercedes SL-Class Convertible, a sleek two-seater coupe that retails for more than $100,000. It was no surprise to find a flashy sports car at the top of the list, with the study revealing that the car was four times more likely to attract a ticket. The type of driver buying an SL-Class isn't likely to worry about a minor traffic violation, but what was more surprising was some of the other entries on the list.

In second place, at 3.5 times more likely to be cited than the average vehicle, was the Toyota Camry Solara, a decidedly less stylish and eye-catching vehicle. That raised the question of whether it was the car or the driver who determines the number of violations. The average age for the SL-Class driver was listed as 53, while the Camry Solara's was 50. At third on the list, the Scion tC, part of Toyota's youth-oriented brand, skewed much younger with an average age of 30. The Scion xB, an aggressively-styled box-like vehicle, also made the list as the fifth most likely.

"These findings and the corresponding trends they reveal are very interesting," said Bob U'Ren, senior vice president of Quality Planning. "Besides the sociological aspect of 'who drives what,' the manner in which private passenger cars and trucks are driven has a meaningful bearing on how much individuals and families pay for auto insurance."

The study also looked at which cars were least likely to attract a ticket. The car with the oldest average driver, the Buick Rainier SUV, was also the least likely to be pulled over, at 23 percent of the average of vehicle. GM had several other cars on the list, like the Chevy 3500 pickup, Uplander minivan and Buick Lacrosse. There were also several models that can now only be found on the used car market, like the Pontiac Vibe and Oldsmobile Silhouette. In general, larger cars attracted less tickets, with eight out of the top ten spots filled by an SUV, pickup truck or minivan.

Drivers in the market for a new or used vehicle may want to keep these statistics in mind in order to determine exactly what type of attention they'll be drawing with their purchase.