DRIVERS living in a major region in a US state risk surrendering their license and even jail time under a new 35 mph rule.
Those caught recklessly speeding will face harsh punishments under a new set of rules – in a response to concerns around public safety.
Residents in a major region risk surrendering their license and even jail time under a new 35 mph rule[/caption]
Those caught recklessly speeding will face harsh punishments under a new set of rules[/caption]
Local authorities say ‘excessive speeding puts lives at risk unnecessarily’ in the area[/caption]
According to KLFY, speeding rules have been ramped up in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, with authorities coming down hard on those who exceed the speed limit by more than 25 mph.
Indeed, drivers will immediately have their licenses confiscated, while those found going over the limit more than 35 mph face not only lose their license, but also being arrested.
The report states all offenders under these rules will be required to appear in court, regardless of whether they are arrested or just surrendering their license.
This means that citations and fines alone will no longer resolve these violations.
Sheriff Eddie Langlinais told reporters: “These violations will no longer be resolved through citation and fine alone.”
He also said that the measures are being taken “in the interest of public safety, particularly in response to the increased risks caused by excessive speed on parish roadways.”
He added: “Our priority is the safety of Vermilion Parish residents and visitors.
“Excessive speeding puts lives at risk unnecessarily.
“These enforcement measures are meant to send a clear message: reckless driving will not be tolerated.”
These stricter measures have the backing of judges from the 15th Judicial District Court – indicating collaboration between law enforcement and the judiciary.
Questions regarding these enforcement measures may be directed to the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office Enforcement Division.
This comes weeks after a so-called touch law has come to Louisiana – punishing those whose hands are in the wrong spot with $250 fines.
The hands-free law, which came to Louisiana on August 1, makes the bayou state the 32nd in the country to enforce the legislation.
Under the law, drivers are asked not to grab their cell phones while they’re behind wheel.
Instead, they must use the phones through hands-free devices.
In order to use a cell phone while driving, you must use the one-touch rule, which means you can only touch the device once to answer a call.
Cops are going to look out for anyone who is texting or scrolling through social media apps while their car is moving.
Drivers should know that if they’re completely stopped at a red light, the law doesn’t apply.
Plus, if a driver has to pick up their phone because of an emergency, they shouldn’t expect to be ticketed.
Anyone caught breaking the rule can get slapped with an instant $100 fine.
How to fight a speeding ticket
According to a legally reviewed post, there are five effective strategies to fighting a speeding ticket if it was wrongfully issued.
- If pulled over and issued a ticket, drivers can argue or dispute a driver’s personal opinion. When issuing a speeding ticket, an officer is required to write their opinion and come to an “objective” conclusion. If the ticket was written based on that judgment, it can be contested. An example would be if you were going 75 mph in a 65 mph zone because others were traveling at the same speed, you could argue that it would be more dangerous to travel at 65 mph.
- You can dispute the officer’s presentation of evidence. If you were ticketed for something like running a stop sign or making an illegal u-turn, you can’t contest that if an officer saw you, but you can call things into court like eyewitnesses, diagrams, or photos.
- Argue that the ticket was issued by a “mistake of fact.” This is tricky, but a “mistake of fact” is a mistake made by a driver about a situation that was beyond their control, or if a driver legitimately did not know they were violating the law. For example, you were driving in two lanes because the lane markers were so worn down that you could not see them.
- You could say circumstances justified your driving. You could say you were speeding to pass a possibly drunk driver, or avoiding an accident by rapidly changing lanes. However, the argument won’t work if there’s proof you continued to speed after passing.
- Similar to the above, it could be argued that speeding was necessary to avoid harm. The key is to argue that if you weren’t speeding, you or someone else could have been harmed.
- Consult a traffic attorney, if all else fails. Many have free consultations to decide whether or not there’s a case.
Source: FindLaw
