Bill to Raise Florida Speed Limit to 75 mph Goes to Gov. Scott

May 1, 2014

  • May 2, 2014 at 9:47 am
    Duke Ganote says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 0
    Thumb down 0

    This serious issue deserves a serious response. Rep. Slosberg’s daughter’s death in 1996 tragically demonstrates how poorly we educate drivers — of every age. I have teenage daughters — and I support the 75-mph speed limit.

    Rural interstates should get 75-mph limits, because — despite carrying 5% of traffic — they accounted for about 1% of Florida’s traffic deaths in 2012. IF the goal is safety, drivers should be educated — and law enforcement should be focused — on risky locations and behaviors instead of minor offenses on superhighways.

    DO YOU WANT THE FHP concentrating on easy infractions on the interstates, or focusing on slower local roads that account for most crashes and fatalities? I tell my teenage daughters “You may not get caught by the police on a local road doing stupid maneuvers, but you can easily wrap your car around a tree, head-on into opposing traffic, or T-bone another vehicle at an intersection. Oh, but you’ll certainly get a ticket on the interstate, ’cause that’s where the cops hang out.”

    Here’s how Dori Slosberg died: in a Honda Civic with 7 teenagers crammed in the back seat, 2 people in front, swerving down Palmetto Park Road at 85-mph on a Friday night until the 19-year-old driver lost control.

    Support for 75 means more rational speed limits, and enforcement focused on risky behaviors and dangerous locations. 75 for safety.

  • May 2, 2014 at 1:47 pm
    Chuck Parsons says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 0
    Thumb down 0

    I am opposed to a 75 mph limit in Florida. Their roads and traffic are such that increase will certainly contribute to a higher accident and death rate. On I-75 and I-95 the combination of two one-way lanes, truck traffic and those who already speed spell bad news for Floridian. It is worse than driving on the German autobahn where at least most drivers have learned how to drive at higher speeds. A drive on a Florida interstate is an unpleasant drive, at least from January till June. I can’t imagine 75 mph on Florida’s secondary roads.

    • May 5, 2014 at 12:59 pm
      Anonymous says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 0
      Thumb down 0

      You claim that one-way lanes contribute to accident rates on roads. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Actually, Interstate highways (and all limited-access freeways) are safer because of this. Simply put, the chance of a head-on collision is much lower because you don’t have the possibility of the next lane over having cars coming at you.

      Furthermore, I’d like to point out that continental Europe outside of the German Autobahn has a 130 kph (about 80 mph) speed limit. We don’t hear anything about issues over there. But yet there’s an insistence that 75 mph is dangerous over here.

      We have to consider why people speed on roadways in general. Engineering principles state that most individuals will drive what they perceive to be safe and reasonable given the situation they are seeing. In many cases on Interstates, this is simply because our Interstate highways can handle speeds far beyond 70 mph. Engineering principles have a guideline of setting the speed limit to the 85th-percentile of what drivers would drive on that road with no posting. I would argue that 75 mph is closer to that mark.

      Finally, you say “I can’t imagine 75 mph on Florida’s secondary roads.” This bill does not establish such a limit on non-limited-access freeways.

      • May 5, 2014 at 4:55 pm
        SWFL Agent says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 0
        Thumb down 0

        Let’s face it, driving is just more complex these days. When I learned to drive the road outside of my neighborhood was a 2 lane road. When I taught my daughter to drive the road is now six lanes. The only way to handle more traffic is to add lanes which adds to the complexity with parking lots, exits, etc. Plus interstates aren’t interstates anymore. They’re used for commuter traffic in the city at rush hour. I don’t think that was their purpose. Don’t have an answer to this one except to say that there is nothing relaxing or fun about taking a trip anymore. Especially in Florida.



Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*