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Brakes Slammed On Higher Florida Speed Limits
June 3, 2014
Pointing to concerns raised by law-enforcement officers, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday vetoed a bill that could have led to 75 mph speed limits on some highways.
“Although the bill does not mandate higher speed limits, allowing for the possibility of faster driving on Florida’s roads and highways could ultimately and unacceptably increase the risk of serious accidents for Florida citizens and visitors,” Scott wrote in a veto message. “I strongly respect the opinion of state and local law enforcement officers who have contacted me to warn about the possible serious negative consequences should this bill become law. While the evidence suggests that increased driving speeds are not the sole cause of traffic accidents, they clearly contribute to the increased severity of vehicle crash outcomes in the form of needless injuries and deaths.”
Scott said last month he planned to veto the bill (SB 392), which was heavily debated during the legislative session that ended May 2. The bill passed the House in a 58-56 vote.
The bill would have allowed — but not required — the state Department of Transportation to raise highway speed limits by 5 mph, including going from 70 mph to 75 mph on some roads. While supporters pointed to the department’s role in deciding the proper speed limits, the bill drew opposition from the auto club AAA, along with law enforcement.
The veto came as Scott announced he had signed a $77 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 and also approved 20 other bills passed this spring.
Most of the other bills were related to carrying out the budget, providing details about issues such as funding for schools.
Also, the bills delved into numerous policy areas. As an example, what is known as the budget “implementing” bill (HB 5003) spells out details of how the state would provide services to additional people who have developmental disabilities. Those details involve prioritizing people based on their needs and circumstances. The budget includes $20 million to help take people off a longstanding waiting list for services.
As another example of the bills signed Monday, Scott approved a measure (HB 5301) that calls for adding three additional appeals-court judges, with two in the 2nd District Court of Appeal and one in the 5th District Court of Appeal. That is far below the number of new judges the Florida Supreme Court said was needed. In December, the Supreme Court said the state needed seven additional circuit-court judges and 39 county-court judges.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Comments
13 Responses to “Brakes Slammed On Higher Florida Speed Limits”
@MarkT = (Copied from Comment) = get left lane drivers into the right lane where they belong !! = AMEN!!
@Charlotte = (Copied from Comment) = And one day, you tail gait me, after I’ve “nicely” tapped my brakes to ask you to back off, and if you don’t, you might get VW stamped across your headlights. I’ve noticed a lot of people pulling out in front of people, and in order to keep from hitting them, their vehicle does a nose dive. Not me, I’ll speed up more and stamp VW across your side door. But speeders are the worse = Really?? Road Rage creator at it’s best!
People are going to do it anyway, why not make it legal .. oh wait, @Jerry has hit the nail on the head! Excellent job!
It’s really strange to me that the speed limit back in the 60s on the interstate was 75 mph in most areas and 50 yrs later it’s 70 mph ???
@ 429, same thing was said when it was 55 mph and went to 65 mph !
I’ll gladly trade the 5 mph increase, if they will get left lane drivers into the right lane where they belong !!
If I drove a “VW” I wouldn’t be stamping anything…..something about the law of physics , ya know?
This was a good decision as lives will be saved and traumas avoided.
Try doing 35 mphs on 297a, the dump trucks will run you over. You get passed by law w/no light ECT…. I know I see every day.
me, just saying
Thank you Lord, for Gov. Scott vetoing this bill. No matter what the speed limit is some people will go above it.
This law would just encourage some people to speed even more than they do now.
I say they should write more tickets. The county or state can always use more money.
Speeding, cell phones and just not paying attention causes the majority of accidents.
@ fxrshovelhead You are not kidding! Just Saturday night going down hwy 97 there was a deputy riding my back bumper, so close I could barely see his headlights. When he got the opportunity to pass, he was GONE!!! with no emergency lights on nor a siren. As fast as he got away I’d say he had to be doing at least 100 mph. I’d figured if he can do it then so could I, so i floored it to 65 : – )……yet to be passed again by an unmarked Tahoo on down the road. I don’t understand why people are raising sand about other people speeding when the law enforcement does it all the time with no sirens on or nothing. Do they get a free pass?
I agree with bigbill1961. I see people speeding, not just five or ten miles over the limit, but a lot more. So, if you allow them to do 75, they’ll do 95. I may add they do it anyway. I’ve notice a lot of drivers these days are tail gaiters, which is my biggest pet peeve. And one day, you tail gait me, after I’ve “nicely” tapped my brakes to ask you to back off, and if you don’t, you might get VW stamped across your headlights. I’ve noticed a lot of people pulling out in front of people, and in order to keep from hitting them, their vehicle does a nose dive. Not me, I’ll speed up more and stamp VW across your side door. But speeders are the worse, and I hate to say this ladies, cause I am a woman as well, but I have found that young women are the worse for speeding and tail gaiting. Slow down, safe a life and your own.
That ok but it’s hard to beleave that everyone but law enforce has to drive the speed limit.I can be driving 65 and have a law enforcement past me like I am setting still then see him parked at the donut at the shop.I have to agree with Jerry it’s all about the money.
Have a feeling they looked at revenue collections for traffic violations and decided they couldn’t give up that large amount of money….
Thank God this was shot down. It’s bad enough now out there, especially with people who feel it necessary to talk on their cell phones while propelling a couple thousand pounds of vehicle down the road at a high rate of speed. Many a time have I been nearly run off the road by someone with a steering wheel in one hand and a cell phone in the other. It’s ridiculous. We used to get where we were going just fine without talking on a phone and driving. Why is it now so important to show everyone your phone at 55-65 mph? I think cell phones are great, just not while driving. The only time I might answer it is at a red light, and then I will tell the caller that I’m on the road and I will call them back. Common sense, in my opinion.