DRIVERS in Florida are being arrested and hauled into court after being caught speeding under tough new rules that took effect earlier this month.
The crackdown follows the introduction of Florida’s new “super speeder” law, which came into force on July 1.
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) said the change is needed to combat deadly behaviour on the roads[/caption]
It applies across the state, including cities like Orlando, Brevard County and Orange County, and it has already caught several motorists off guard.
The law creates a new offence called “dangerous excessive speeding,” defined as either exceeding the speed limit by 50 miles per hour or more, or driving 100 miles per hour or more in a way that endangers others or disrupts traffic.
It didn’t take long for drivers to fall foul of the changes.
Just two minutes after the law kicked in, a motorist in Orlando was clocked at 104 miles per hour.
Another driver on a motorcycle was caught on 12 July doing 106 miles per hour in a 45mph zone in Brevard County.
Police also arrested a woman on July 20 in Orange County after she hit 113 miles per hour while rushing to pick up her dog.
Less than 24 hours later, a 19-year-old man was stopped after reaching 105 miles per hour while being followed by an unmarked police vehicle.
Every one of these drivers was arrested and charged under the new law.
What has shocked many is that under the changes, anyone exceeding the speed limit by 50 miles per hour or more is no longer able to simply pay a fine — they are now required to appear in court.
A first conviction carries the possibility of a $500 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both. For second or further offences, that increases to a $1,000 fine, a jail term of up to 90 days, or both.
Repeat offenders could face even stiffer penalties. If a driver is convicted of dangerous excessive speeding again within five years, their driving licence will be automatically revoked for a minimum of six months and up to a year.
The law also gives police the authority to impose extra fines on drivers going 30 miles per hour or more over the posted limit, depending on the severity and location of the offence.
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) said the change is needed to combat deadly behaviour on the roads.
Speeding contributes to around 26 percent of traffic deaths in the United States, according to their data.
In 2023 alone, Florida recorded nearly 39,000 crashes linked to speeding or aggressive driving.
Those incidents resulted in 437 deaths and left more than 1,200 people with life-altering injuries.
Officials say high speeds drastically reduce a driver’s ability to react to hazards, curves, other vehicles, or debris on the road.
Even when sticking to posted limits, drivers may still be going too fast in poor weather, roadworks or low-visibility conditions.
Although the “super speeder” law focuses on extreme cases, Florida already enforces fines for lower-level speeding offences. These start at $25for going less than 10mph over the limit and can climb to $250 or more for exceeding it by 30mph or more.
Fines are often even higher in school zones, construction areas or when other offences are involved.
Speeding violations also add points to a driver’s licence.
These range from three to six points, depending on how fast the driver was going and whether the offence caused a crash or involved reckless behaviour.
Accruing too many points in a short period can lead to licence suspensions. Drivers who collect 12 points in 12 months will lose their licence for 30 days.
Eighteen points in 18 months results in a three-month suspension, while 24 points in 36 months triggers a full one-year suspension.
There is an option to avoid points by taking a state-approved driving improvement course, but this can only be done once per year and no more than five times in total.
Standard speed limits in Florida remain unchanged, with 20mph zones near schools, 30mph in urban streets, 55mph on most roads unless posted otherwise, and up to 70mph on interstate highways.
Authorities are urging drivers to ease off the accelerator and obey posted limits, warning that the days of simply paying a speeding fine and moving on may now be over.
Anyone exceeding the speed limit by 50 miles per hour or more is no longer able to simply pay a fine — they are now required to appear in court[/caption]
