<(usa today)="" -="" states="" are="" trying="" to="" put="" the="" brakes="" on="" bad="" driving="" by="" targeting="" "super="" speeders,"="" lane="" hogs="" and="" those="" guilty="" of="" multiple="" moving="" violations.="" florida="" is="" leading="" the="" way="" with="" a="" new="" law="" that="" sends="" its="" worst="" drivers="" back="" to="" driving="" school.="" a="" driver="" found="" at="" fault="" in="" three="" crashes="" in="" three="" years="" will="" have="" to="" pass="" a="" driver="" education="" course="" and="" a="" driving="" test,="" just="" like="" novice="" drivers.="" "these="" people="" have="" proven="" themselves="" to="" be="" chronically="" bad="" drivers.="" you="" have="" to="" try="" everything="" you="" can="" to="" change="" their="" behavior,"="" says="" electra="" theodorides-bustle,="" executive="" director="" of="" the="" florida="" department="" of="" highway="" safety="" and="" motor="" vehicles.="" the="" cost="" for="" additional="" training="" will="" be="" passed="" on="" to="" violators,="" she="" says.="" the="" moves="" come="" as="" a="" growing="" body="" of="" evidence="" suggests="" that="" aggressive="" driving-="" including="" speeding,="" tailgating,="" changing="" lanes="" without="" signaling,="" ignoring="" traffic="" signals="" and="" weaving="" in="" and="" out="" of="" traffic-="" is="" deadlier="" than="" drunken="" driving.="" an="" april="" study="" by="" the="" aaa="" foundation="" for="" traffic="" safety="" found="" that="" aggressive="" driving="" was="" a="" factor="" in="" 56%="" of="" all="" fatal="" u.s.="" crashes="" from="" 2003="" through="" 2007.="" florida's="" new="" law,="" which="" takes="" effect="" jan.="" 1,="" is="" unlikely="" to="" eradicate="" bad="" driving="" in="" the="" sunshine="" state:="" highway="" safety="" officials="" have="" identified="" 3,200="" people-="" out="" of="" about="" 15.5="" million="" licensed="" drivers-="" who="" would="" currently="" fall="" under="" the="" new="" law.="" a="" tougher="" stance="" for="" repeat="" offenders="" is="" a="" logical="" move="" for="" states,="" says="" justin="" mcnaull,="" aaa="" director="" of="" state="" relations.="" "car="" crashes="" aren't="" evenly="" distributed="" among="" all="" drivers,"="" he="" says.="" "while="" this="" might="" not="" be="" a="" classic="" 80%-of-the-problem-is-20%-of-="" the-people="" situation,="" it's="" probably="" pretty="" close."="" others="" states="" cracking="" down="" on="" bad="" drivers:="">
Georgia
now adds an extra $200 fine to the tickets of "super speeders"- defined as drivers caught traveling more than 75 mph on two-lane roads or 85 mph on any road. The new fine, which Gov. Sonny Perdue sought for three years before it was enacted July 1, is expected to generate $23 million a year to help the state's trauma hospitals.
Kansas'
new "Right Lane Law," which went into effect July 1, makes it illegal to drive in the far left lane of multi-lane highways except when passing or turning left or when instructed to do so by traffic-control devices or officers. The law is designed to reduce road rage and prevent motorists from trying risky maneuvers, says Trooper Mark Engholm of the Kansas Highway Patrol. Five Southeastern states-
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee
- joined forces last month for "Take Back Our Highways," a week-long dragnet for dangerous drivers. Highway Patrol officers targeted aggressive and drunken drivers, speeders and drivers not wearing seat belts.
Delaware and New Jersey
launched statewide campaigns last month aimed at aggressive driving.
What should Michigan do? Leave your comments...
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