A Quick Guide To Excessive Speeding
Speeding a few miles over the speed limit may get you a ticket and a fine. However, excessive speeding is another matter entirely. Depending on where you were caught and the actual speed you were traveling, you could face harsh penalties, including a felony for speeding and jail time.
Florida’s speeding laws have multiple layers of punishment and sometimes cross over reckless driving laws. This can be confusing when trying to figure out what laws were broken or what kind of criminal defense is needed.
How Fast Do You Need To Drive To Get A Felony For Excessive Speeding?
When you drive faster than 50 miles per hour over the posted speed limit or if you drive faster than 100 miles per hour regardless of the posted speed limit, you run the risk of getting charged with a felony. Plus, if you happen to be a repeat offender, the prosecutor can elevate the speeding charge to a felony.
When one is convicted for driving 50 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, they will be required to pay a fine of $1,000. For repeat offenders, that fine shoots up to $2,500 and the driver’s license is revoked for a full year.
When a driver is convicted a third time, punishments escalate to a $5,000 fine, 5 years in prison, an additional 5 years probation and having one’s driver’s license revoked for 10 years.
Other Criteria For Felony Speeding
First time offenders may also be charged with a felony for excessive speeding when the crime meets one of two possible criteria.
Reckless Driving
When a driver demonstrates a willful disregard for life and property, they can be charged with reckless driving. Driving 50 miles per hour beyond the posted speed limit can be listed as an additional charge to reckless driving. As a result, this can bring about a felony charge.
If you were traveling at 100 miles per hour in a 60 mile per hour zone, you wouldn’t be going fast enough to trigger the additional reckless driving charge. However, due to the excessive speeding, prosecutors can still convert the charge to reckless driving.
Serious Injuries
Usually reckless driving is a misdemeanor charge. However, when there’s a crash involving a vehicle that is traveling more than 50 miles per hour over the speed limit, prosecutors can put forth a third degree felony charge. Consequently, the crash must cause severe injuries that include:
- Serious irreversible disfigurement
- A high risk of death
- Long term loss or impairment of a body part or limb
For example, let’s say you were driving 50 miles per hour over the speed limit. You hit another car and shattered the other driver’s leg permanently. As a result, you can be charged with a felony reckless driving charge from your excessive speeding.
The punishment for a third degree felony is five years in prison, five year probation and a $5,000 fine.
If You Have Been Charged For Excessive Speeding, The Law Office Of William Bennett Can Help
At the Law Office Of William B. Bennett, our criminal defense team knows the laws around excessive speeding. We also understand how to navigation the judicial system and depending on your case, we may be able to get your charges reduced or dismissed completely. If you are facing a felony for speeding, call The Law Office Of William B. Bennett today at (727) 821-8000. You can also contact us on our website here for a free consultation. Call us and learn how we can help keep your driving and criminal record clean.
Tagged with: Arrest, Criminal Defense, Driving, Felony, Reckless, Speeding
Posted in: Criminal Defense Law