Can speeding now be a criminal offense under new Florida law?

A new Florida law elevates severe speeding from a civil infraction to a criminal offense if the driver exceeds the speed limit by 50 mph or more, or is clocked going over 100 mph at any time.

The penalty for a first offense is a $500 fine, a 30-day jail sentence or both. A second offense raises the fine to $1,000, and the jail time could triple to 90 days. Repeat violators over five years could have their license suspended.

As of July 22, the Florida Highway Patrol made three “super speeder” arrests for driving faster than 100 mph in Orange County. 

Other states have also implemented “super speeder” laws recently. In Georgia, a driver can be criminally convicted for going faster than 75 mph on a two-lane road or 85 mph on any road in the state.