Speed Kills on Florida Highways -- But Slow Driving in Left Lane Also a Safety Hazard, Lawmakers Say
Have you ever driven on Florida I-95 or another heavily travelled Sunshine State highway -- and suddenly encountered a driver going way too slow, causing other cars to come up fast behind them (posing a risk for rear-end collision) and frustrated drivers to weave in and out of traffic dangerously?
A Miami - Ft. Lauderdale car accident injury lawyer is all too familiar with the devastation one wrong move on a Florida highway can create. Speed is, indeed, a factor in roughly one out of five fatal Florida car accidents (source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Florida). However some lawmakers in Florida have been working to pass legislation that would make driving too slowly in the left lane on Fla. highways a ticketable offense with a hefty fine.
Fox News reported that Florida Senator Michael S. "Mike" Bennett (R - Fla.) wants law enforcers to crack down on slow drivers in the passing lane. The senator told the media outlet that if the driving public were better educated about the purpose of each of the three highway lanes -- i.e., the left lane is for passing, the middle lane is for normal driving, and the right lane is for exiting -- that Florida wouldn't need to expand lanes on so many of its highways. Bennett also wants Fla. police to be able to ticket drivers going too slow in the left lane and obstructing the flow of traffic. If that were the case, Florida would join other states such as Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland where police are allowed to ticket drivers going too slow. (See link to news video interviewing the senator below.)
In April, the Florida Senate approved a bill which would have allowed the ticketing of drivers impeding flow of traffic in the left lane and imposing a fine of $143. However the related Florida House bill (HB 177 -- Motor Vehicles by Democratic Rep Jeff Clemens from District 89) died in the Transportation & Highway Safety Subcommittee. Sen. Bennett's related CS/CS/SB 244 Motor Vehicles / Highway Safety Act also died in messages in May. (See links to Fla. legislation summaries below.)
According to news coverage, some opposing lawmakers voiced concerns that if such legislation passed, some drivers would be penalized for driving within the Florida speed limit -- despite other lawmakers' views that driving too slow in the passing lane itself can lead to deadly car crashes.
In Florida, there is always a concern about our population of senior citizens (including those in retirement communities and nursing homes) and their abilities to continue driving safely. As their physical reaction times slow with age, so too does their driving speed. That could pose a traffic accident risk for them and other motorists on Florida streets and highways. See links to related news stories and other articles and resources, below.
Related Florida Accident Attorney article:
AAA Study Shows Slow Driving Speeds Deadly in Pedestrian Traffic Accidents
Sources:
Driving Too Slow? Get Off the Road (video)
Florida lawmaker wants police to ticket drivers who impede traffic flow
Fox News Aug 30, 2011
Senator: No more left lane slow drivers
MyFox Orlando Sept. 5, 2011
Driving slow in left lane could get you a ticket in Florida
Jacksonville.com April 4, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Florida House of Representatives:
HB 177 to Create a Highway Safety Act
CS/CS/SB 244 Motor Vehicles / Highway Safety Act
Senior Driving: Safety Tips, Warning Signs, and Knowing When to Stop
