ATLANTA, GA — There’s a new law on the books to crack down on drivers who excessively break the speed limits on metro Atlanta roads. It’s been dubbed the “Superspeeder” Law and it tacks on an extra $200 to anyone caught going more than 85 miles per hour on multiple-lane highways or more than 75 miles per hour on two-lane roads.
“This is going to save lives. Most drivers don’t realize that a quarter of our crash deaths in Georgia involve excessive speed,” said Bob Dallas, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Dallas pushed strongly for the legislation.
The new law is also designed to improve the state’s image. Dallas admitted that Georgia has long been known as the state for travelers “to make up time”.
“We are consistently rated as one of the top states when it comes to traffic that exceeds the posted speed limit,” said Dallas.
Backers also cited the statistic that 60 percent of Georgia trauma admissions are victims of vehicle crashes. At the same time, the state has suffered for quite some time from a lack of funding for trauma care, especially in rural areas.
Because of that, legislators and Governor Sonny Perdue promise the money raised from fines of “Superspeeders” (an estimated $23 million per year) will go to trauma care.
But not everyone is convinced. Senator Emmanuel Jones (D-Decatur) voted against the bill. He said the current state constitution does not allow for any earmarking of funds to a specific cause.
“If we were serious about earmarking the money to go to trauma care, we would re-write the state constitution to allow it,” said Jones. “Right now, citizens just have to trust that the people who passed this law will in fact follow through. That’s going to be tough to do since the money goes into the state’s general budget.”
Posted by Duffie Dixon, 11.com website
Filed under: Georgia Speeding Ticket | Tagged: atlanta GA speeding ticket, Atlanta Georgia speeding laws, georgia speeding ticket fines
This is absurb… government is here just to empty the pockets of us the civilians. OBama pretents to give money out to us but GOv never gives money without taking more money from us. Regarding saving life it is just an excuse.
Sorry about that, someone let Carol out of her cell. She has since been returned to her padded walls and rocking slowly back and forth.
I paid my dues last August to the city of Acworth. I was going 65 mph on U.S. Hwy. 41. The speed limit is 55 mph. My welcome to Acworth cost me $175. I had just moved to Acworth 2 days prior to getting the speeding citation. Therefore, you wll not find me in the “super speeder lane.
I would like to see them make a law for the people who drive 20 miles under the speed limit. They are more of a hazzard than the people who are simply trying to get to where they are going. I just got a ticket for doing 66 in a 55… It cost me $440!! My husband got a ticket in Arizona going 96 in a 75 and his ticket was only $260…How’s that for the wonderful State of Georgia government…Slimy, greedy little creeps!! They should have a sign that says welcome to Georgia…Now Bend Over!!
Love it!!!! couldn’t have said it any better!!!
is this law a joke? adding on $200 fines to people getting to and from work in THIS economy is stupid, all you are going to do is cause some poor, desprate, idiot in a broken down civic going to work to feed his kids and barely pay for insurance risk running for it, doing worse than controlled speeding, hes gonna drive wrecklessly and mostlikely get someone killed …. all this law does is make it more probable for someone NOT to stop and pay the x amount of money he owes… the average speed for some hwys in georgia are around 90 in posted 65/75s, im personally never bothered doing 15 over… plus with modern cars, that are meant to stabily go fast and be safe, standard laws become inefficent…
we live in a gogo america were miniuts between work and getting fired count. we CAN NOT IN THIS ECONOMY PAY $200 EXTRA FOR GOING 15 OVER, WE PROBABLY HAVE A DAMN GOOD REASON TO
why dont you try to leave earlier to get to where your going. sounds like you are a cronic road rage speeder.
Georgia tries to give the impression that they try to keep taxes low; however, taxes in the form of added fees are everywhere. Speeding enforcement and this law pretend to protect the public , but in reality, it is a way to tax drivers in this state with fees and pass the fees out to sponser’s of the Georgia Boss Hogg government. Now every little town will have their cops hiding behind bushes with radar guns instead of fighting crime.
My take is who cares???
I don’t speed because I’m in no hurry. Do you really think that speeding in-between stop lights and back-ups really gets you where you are going any faster? Leave earlier if you need to get somewhere earlier. Its a simple thing. Relax and enjoy life!
I often drive over the speed limit and I think this additional fine is little excessive, but I still think it’s funny how everyone is complaining about it. If you don’t want to pay the $200 or if you’re too broke to pay it, don’t go over 85 mph! Don’t get me wrong, I think the posted limits are way too low, especially considering that the average speed on most GA highways is a good 10 to 20 mph over the limit. But still, the law is the law so if you don’t want to deal with the fine just slow down a little bit and then you don’t have to worry about it..
I fear this will increase speed traps and fines more than it will possibly do any good saving lives.
I am interested to know if this law will apply to police vehicles themselves. As it stands, plenty of cops violate the law by driving fast without their lights or sirens on. If they are exempt to this added fine, I will be incensed.
Honestly I would have to agree with you on this matter cause a majority of Law enforcement officer feel that because of the job they hold it put them above the law that apply,s to the rest of us
I am for this law. To all of you who think this is absurd…please think about those that have lost someone to a superspeeders. Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere and by speeding they risk their lives as well as others.
The state of Georgia could care less about any loss of life; they only passed this law as a money-maker. Idiots.
Are they going 2 increase the speed limit also? for ex hwy 20 @ certain spots has a speed limit of 55mph I think it should 65mph all around… times have changed along with cars….
Good grief this law is so stupid georgia is one less place I could live without I cain’t wait to get out of ga its getting worse and worse everyday these laws are just plain out ridiculous $200.00 give me a break georgia gov!!!
Crooked cops!!!
The only people who get offended with laws like this are the perpetrators; those who try to abide by these laws may not agree, but they try to comply…not complain.
I completely understand the law as it pertains to the interstate. I am a safe driver who has never had any wrecks (knock on wood) and I have only had 2 speeding tickets and they were going thru 2 small towns where the city limit sign and the speed limit sign were nowhere to be found, and to keep from having to miss a day of work for either one i just paid the fine. However while driving on the interstates, if I go 10 miles over the speed limit with all the cars around me I start to feel like my car is not as steady as if I just slow it down a little. Maybe we all should just leave a little earlier, and drive the speed limit. I mean come on, rules are there for a purpose!! Get over it and abide by the law. You won’t have to worry about the fines if you follow the rules
Have a great day!!!
I totally agree with Jeff. Yes, you may have to get to work but just because you have to be at work at 9 is no excuse to speed. If you were a little less lazy then you would get up earlier so you wouldn’t have to speed. But all and all this is a simple money making law to pray on the super-speeders of the state.
If you don’t drive at least 75 mph on 285 you are living dangerously. There are tons of drivers going 85 +++. There are too many factors to consider before you arbitrarily impose such punitive fines. If the state is so concerned about the trauma cases, just increase the presence of troopers on the highways. One of two things will happen. Since many people will speed regardless of their presence, they will issue tons of tickets and generate more revenue. OR – People will actually slow down, resulting in fewer accidents and less trauma cases and save some money.
I don’t know ya’ll. I think i’m ok with this law. I still drive through Ga all the time (truck driver) but I just moved to Fl and my personal vehicle insurance dropped from $390 per year to $190 per year for the EXACT same coverage.
Maybe it’s not related but I think it is. I’m scared to drive in georgia sometimes on account of all the nuts out there.
.Stopped with radar going 77 on 285 in Ga.I just want to know what amount am I looking to pay.Can anyone out there maybe give me an amount .My ticket is not in the system yet.I just want to start saving now.My second spedding ticket since 1991.