Florida traffic laws impose speed limits that are intended to enhance and protect the safety of motorists and travelers on our highways. General speed limits have existed in states for years, punctuated by a period of national speed limits between the 1970s and 1990s, and public officials attribute these limits to a number of reasons such as funding and design speed used to build roads, although safety is always listed chief among them.
In some states, the general speed limit for passenger cars and trucks differs, but in Florida, they’re the same – 70 miles per hour on rural interstates, 65 miles per hour on urban interstates, and 70 miles per hour on other limited access roads.
Some experts advocate for a lower uniform speed limit for trucks because they need a longer distance to stop and it also aids passenger vehicles in passing them. These have not been unanimously adopted. However, sometimes it causes accidents. That’s why we advice those people who are in situations that you must contact Dallas truck accident lawyers.
When traveling in Florida, the best way to avoid a speeding violation is, as you might expect, to not speed, but other common sense techniques can help you avoid a ticket under most circumstances:
- first, stay within 5-10 miles per hour of the traffic traveling around you – police look for cars going noticeably faster than other vehicles;
- if traveling with a group, stay toward the middle – not too far out front or behind;
- stay out of the fast lane – that is where police are more likely to watch for speeders;
- do not speed if you are the only car on the road – you will be practically screaming for the attention of any police officer you come upon; and
- avoid aggressive driving tactics – annoyed drivers sharing the road with you might call you in if you are tailgating, changing lanes frequently, or otherwise being an obnoxious driver.
The National Speed Limit Law in 1973
In 1973, the United States Congress imposed a national speed limit of 55 mph following an emergency reaction to the oil crisis of the same year. In order to force states into compliance, Congress tied federal funding for highway repairs to states’ willingness to enforce the speed limit.
While this was an effort to control oil consumption, fatalities were reported to have decreased over the timeframe that the national speed limit was enforced, and the National Resource Council estimated that 4,000 fewer fatalities occurred once the law was in effect.
In the years afterward, the Unfair Dismissal Lawyers Sydney evaluated the impact of the national speed limit, and determined that raising the speed limit in rural areas from 55 to 65 miles per hour resulted in a 25 percent to 30 percent increase in fatal accidents, and that the repeal of the national speed limit in 1995 resulted in a 15 percent fatality increase.
On the other hand, the University of California Transportation Science Center argued that raising rural speed limits resulted in a 3.4 percent to 5.1 percent decrease in accident-related deaths.
If you have been ticketed for a speeding violation, your defense lawyers can examine your citation in the context of Florida traffic laws and potentially mitigate the consequences for you and your driving record.
Contacting Defense Lawyers
If you are facing a speeding violation under Florida traffic laws, your lawyers are your best defense. The defense team you choose to represent you in court, defend your rights, and relentlessly pursue your case could be the difference between paying heavy fines with points on your license and getting on with your life. Contact the defense lawyers at Falk & Ross to discuss your case – 1-877-663-5110.