DRIVERS hitting the road for Independence Day travels could be slapped with a $1,000 fine or even thrown in jail under a new law.
The so-called super speed rule brought severe punishments to millions of drivers who aren’t safe behind the wheel.
Drivers now face jail time, a $1,000 fine, and license suspension under a new “super speeder” law[/caption]
It took effect just as millions hit the road for July 4 (stock image)[/caption]
The crackdown targets drivers caught going 50mph or more above the posted limit or racing past 100 mph, no matter the speed zone.
The change, part of House Bill 351, turns these violations from simple infractions into criminal offenses.
First-time violators face up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine and a mandatory court appearance.
Repeat offenders could get slapped with a $1,000 fine and spend as long as 90 days in jail.
A third strike within five years triggers an automatic driver’s license suspension for at least six months.
The law took effect in Florida on Tuesday, just as a record 4.6 million Floridians prepared to hit the road for the busy holiday weekend.
Law enforcement across the state is ramping up patrols in response.
In one of the first recorded busts under the new law, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a driver clocked at 104mph just minutes after the rule kicked in.
“The faster you go, your reaction time slows down and the crash impact is exponential,” St. Petersburg Police Lt. Jason Levey told CBS local affiliate WTSP.
He urged drivers to stay alert and avoid excessive speed during the July 4 rush.
“If you’re going 50 miles over the speed limit or 100, you need to slow down,” Levey said.
“That’s just unacceptable.”
Stephanie Rojas, a local mother, welcomed the stricter rules.
“I am a mother of a seven-year-old, and just for everyone’s safety out there, I think it’s crucial that everybody drives in the correct speed limit,” she told CBS News.
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
“Bigger fines, bigger penalties – I think it’s really important that everyone maintains safety.”
Stacy Bejarano, who often travels with her baby, said reckless speeding is a real concern on Florida highways.
“At 95 or on the Palmetto, it’s crazy how people are speeding,” she said.
“It’s frightening sometimes, actually, when you’re driving by yourself with your baby.”
Hector Banegas said he found out about the rule through a video from his mom.
“She sends me a video and said, ‘Oh, you got to be careful because if you drive past the mileage, you can go to jail for like a whole month,’” Banegas said.
His solution? “I mean, I’ll just get a police radar and I’ll be good, you know?” he added.
Despite the mixed reaction, lawmakers say the ultimate goal is to save lives and reduce fatal crashes.
Florida law enforcement says too many people have been taking speed limits as suggestions, not rules.
“We just want everybody to be safe, whether it’s the Fourth of July or any other day,” Levey said.
“Whether you’re going downtown, have a good time with family — just make sure you get there safely and just plan ahead. That is the biggest thing.”
