Gov. DeSantis signs ‘super speeder’ legislation creating steeper penalties for road recklessness

Gov. Ron DeSantis just signed a new measure creating extra criminal penalties for extreme speeding, marking the state’s latest move to improve road safety and deter reckless driving.

The legislation (HB 351) targets so-called “super speeders,” establishing criminal consequences for motorists who exceed the posted speed limit by 50 miles per hour or more, or who drive at 100 mph or more in a manner that threatens others or interferes with vehicle operation.

First-time violators may face up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both. Repeat offenders could receive up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. If a second violation occurs within five years, the offender’s driver’s license could be revoked for up to a year.

Any driver caught exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 mph must appear before a Judge under a mandatory court appearance provision.

The measure, carried by independent Hollywood Sen. Jason Pizzo and Republican Reps. Danny Alvarez of Hillsborough County and Susan Plasencia of Orlando, passed unanimously in the Senate.

House lawmakers were far more split, passing the bill on a 75-40 vote with 13 Republicans joining most of their Democratic colleagues in opposing the measure.

The law goes into effect July 1.

Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said in a statement that while she voted for HB 351 during the committee process, she changed her mind after hearing arguments against it from other House members.

“There continues to be a trend in the Florida Legislature of enhancing criminal penalties and/or creating new criminal penalties. Sometimes this could be deemed necessary — especially with new types of crimes implemented via new technologies — but statistically speaking, there is no clear data to demonstrate that enhanced penalties reduce crime,” she said.

“We need to be honest about that, and pursue alternative policy concepts to reduce crime in the first place.”

Pizzo, a former prosecutor, said it’s ludicrous to believe it isn’t grossly unsafe to pass other drivers at nearly double the speed they’re traveling and that those who do should be held answerable.

“You can’t go ahead and pass somebody at 100 miles an hour or in excess (of that) and think that that’s not dangerous and excessive speeding,” he said. “And if you do, you’ve got to appear (in court).”

While Pizzo had initially proposed a stricter version of the bill (SB 1782) that would have imposed longer jail terms, he accepted the House’s comparatively lighter version. Passing the measure on the Senate floor April 24, he jokingly referred to HB 351 as the “less good House bill.”

The legislation, he said, was partly inspired by the 2022 death of 11-year-old Anthony Reznick in Sunny Isles Beach. Reznick was struck and killed in a crosswalk by Samentha Toussaint, a driver with more than two dozen prior traffic citations and a suspended license. She was traveling roughly 85 mph in a residential zone without headlights and had no insurance.

Despite the circumstances, Toussaint was not criminally charged. A Judge suspended her license for eight years and ordered community service and fines.

Pizzo, who knew Reznick personally through family connections, said the tragedy underscored the urgency of stronger laws.

“I tried to do aggressive, careless driving (legislation) over the last couple of years,” he said. “I like to drive fast, too. But guys, one of the things we can control is how many people get killed on the roadways. And so if it’s a deterrent … it’s worth it. So, this is for Anthony Reznick.”

The law follows a measure Pizzo successfully carried last year that empowered law enforcement to crack down on drag racing and street takeovers, which have resulted in deaths and thousands of arrests across Florida.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, speeding was a contributing factor in approximately 10% of all traffic-related fatalities in the state between 2019 and 2023. Most of the drivers involved were males between the ages of 16 and 25.

A final bill analysis by House staff concluded that HB 351 could have a “positive indeterminate impact” on local revenues through new fines and penalties, although the precise fiscal effects remain unclear.