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Labor Day weekend 2015 in Southwest Florida was not a joyous one for at least one family which saw a mother and son critically injured and a father and daughter killed in a crash near Corkscrew Road on Florida SR-82. Authorities determined that speeding by another driver was the cause. Local citizens and relatives took to the street following the accident to picket against speeders in the area of the crash, according to a report by NBC-2.

The Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that 325 people lost their lives in speed-related accidents in 2014. When drivers speed, the likelihood and severity of crashes increases.

"Speeding places the driver and other road users in danger. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to another driver’s speeding, contact the accident  lawyers at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. to determine your rights," said Attorney Randall Spivey.

According to the DOT, speeding has severe and, many times, disastrous effects in a crash. These include:   

• Reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway.
• Extends the distance necessary for a vehicle to stop.
• Increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard.
• Compromises the integrity of the vehicle structure.
• Decreases the effectiveness of vehicle design features such as airbags and restraint systems.
• Decreases the ability of roadway hardware such as guardrails, barriers and impact attenuators to protect occupants.
• Increases tread wear on tires and wear on braking systems.
• Increases the risk of crashes because other vehicles and pedestrians may not be able to judge distance accurately.

Florida has an "absolute" speed limit law. This means that if a sign says 40 mph and a driver drives at 41 mph or more, the driver has violated the law.  In addition to the tragedy a speeding driver may cause, there are fines and penalties imposed by the state. A first time violator may be fined between $25 and $250, and the violator's license may be suspended for not more than 30 days.

In addition, Florida's basic speed law, FLA. § 316.183(1) & (4), says:

No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards. 

There have been efforts to reduce speeding. Aggressive driving, speeding, is one of the eight areas listed in Florida's 2012 Strategic Highway Safety Plan which is updated each year. To combat aggressive driving, the plan focuses on:

• Supporting effective law enforcement and promoting efforts to reduce aggressive driving.
• Training and education on the problem of aggressive driving.
• Identifying engineering initiatives to reduce aggressive driving.

There are some prominent initiatives according to DOT which include:

• Increased fines and driver license points.
• Increased use of speed measurement devices, including radar and aircraft observation using the distance between white lines on highway pavements.
• Use of a wide range of road and environmental design changes to make it more difficult for vehicles to speed including speed bumps, textured pavements, roundabouts in residential areas, marking the road to create the illusion it is narrowing, planting trees and other foliage along roadsides, and timing traffic signals for vehicles traveling the desired speed.

Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.