ORLANDO, Fla. — Starting July 1, people who speed excessively will face a big fine and possibly jail time.
A mother whose son died in a street race wants to see changes. She is warning others that speeding kills people.
“It’s an adrenaline rush. It’s the need for speed,” said Laurie Broadus. “It’s frustrating because they don’t know. In a blink of an eye, life can change.”
Broadus says her son, Shawn Michael Broadus, died in 2006 as he was street racing. Since then, she created the group Mother’s Against Racing on the Streets to prevent street racing.
She likes the new law, saying, “It will help because it will deter them. But it’s a spontaneous act.”
Retired Florida Highway Patrol Chief Joe Lopez explained how it will change. He said, “Now it’s 30 mph. Anything over 30 mph is a mandatory court appearance. That hasn’t had any affect at all.”
But according to the new law, exceeding the posted speed limit by 50 mph or going over 100 mph means a fine or jail time.
The first offense is 30 days in jail or a fine up to $500 or both. A second offense within five years could mean a six-month license suspension, a fine of up to $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail.
“So we’re going to put some teeth into the law,“ Lopez said,
Broadus says she hope’s the new penalties will make drivers slow down.
“It’s not worth your life or someone else’s,” she said.
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