Florida lawmakers are what might become a new Florida law, Senate Bill 1782 (SB 1782), a measure aimed at imposing stricter penalties on drivers who engage in extreme speeding, commonly referred to as “super speeders.” The bill, introduced by State Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo (D) Hollywood, seeks to deter reckless driving behaviors that have become increasingly prevalent on Florida’s roadways. Pizzo’s district covers parts of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.
Photo by: Rusty Clark, Wikimedia Commons
Key Provisions of SB 1782:
- Reckless Driving Definition: The bill proposes that exceeding the posted speed limit by 50 miles per hour or more constitutes reckless driving per se.
- Enhanced Penalties: For a first offense, drivers would face a $2,500 fine, a six-month license suspension, and a 30-day vehicle impoundment. A second offense could result in a $5,000 fine, another 30-day impoundment, and a one-year license suspension.
Law enforcement officials have expressed strong support for the proposed legislation. Orange County Sheriff John Mina highlighted a troubling increase in high-speed violations, noting that in January alone, deputies cited 101 drivers for speeds of 100 mph or more, a significant rise from 29 citations during the same month the previous year.
Mina told WESH-2 News, “They feel like they can go as fast as they want. It’s not the Autobahn.” He added that, “We think if we could get this legislation passed, that could deter some people. No one wants to lose their license for a year.”
No one wants to get run over by a scofflaw trying to play NASCAR On The Streets either.
But What About People Who Drive Too Slowly?
A common complaint in Florida is that many drivers in the Sunshine State never even come close to going the speed limit, because they are going too slowly.
One Floridian posted on X.com that “So now we are going to go after ‘Super Speeders’ whatever that even is but completely ignore the ‘super impeders’ doing 40mph under causing 99% of the problems on our highways.”
Fact is, Florida Statute 316.183 prohibits driving at a speed that impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law enforcement directives. Florida Statute 316.081 is a law in the Sunshine State that prohibits drivers from continuing in the left lane when they “know or reasonably should know” they are being overtaken by a faster vehicle.
“The problem with Florida drivers is that everyone is either going too fast or too slow and they are all doing it in the wrong lane.”
Overheard in Cocoa BEACH
On the other hand, if a law is rarely or never enforced, what good is it? Police already have their hands full with miscreants driving aggressively, running red lights and generally being a menace out on the streets, and they probably have very little time for Grandpa easing his way down I-95 going 55 MPH in the left lane.
At the same time the comment about “super impeders” is germane. The law firm of LP Pendas in Orlando states on their website that
According to Expedia’s 2016 road rage report, hogging the left lane ranks in the top five of the most annoying driving behaviors. And unfortunately, road rage often leads to aggressive driving and causes accidents.
Other problems with driving too slowly in the left lane include:
- Other motorists might be forced to stop or slow suddenly, resulting in rear-end collisions.
- Frustrated drivers may try to pass the slower motorist and end up causing an accident.
- Traffic backs up quickly when faster motorists are unable to pass slower drivers.
Any kind of aggressive driving or other dangerous driving behavior (like going too slowly or illegally camping out in the left lane) is evidence of negligence.
If SB 1782 “Super Speeder” bill is approved by the Legislature and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, it is slated to take effect on July 1, 2025.
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