Florida has a new law aimed at drivers accused of excessive speeding, and it can have consequences that go well beyond an ordinary speeding ticket.
Often referred to as Florida’s “Super Speeder” law, the statute officially creates the offense of dangerous excessive speeding under Florida Statute § 316.1922. The law took effect on July 1, 2025, and remains in effect under the 2026 Florida Statutes.
For drivers in Sarasota County and throughout Florida, understanding exactly when excessive speeding can become a criminal offense is important.
What Is Florida’s “Super Speeder” Law?
Under Florida’s dangerous excessive speeding law, a person commits the offense if he or she operates a motor vehicle:
- 50 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit; or
- At 100 miles per hour or more in a manner that threatens the safety of other people or property or interferes with the operation of another vehicle.
These are two different ways the statute can apply.
For example, a driver traveling 110 mph in a 60-mph zone would meet the first definition because the driver is 50 mph over the speed limit.
The second provision is different. Simply driving 100 mph does not, by itself, satisfy that provision. The statute requires that the manner of driving at 100 mph or more threaten the safety of people or property or interfere with the operation of another vehicle.
What Are the Penalties?
The consequences can be considerably more serious than those associated with an ordinary speeding infraction.
For a first conviction of dangerous excessive speeding, Florida law provides for:
- Up to 30 days in jail;
- A $500 fine; or
- Both imprisonment and a fine.
For a second or subsequent conviction, the penalties increase to:
- Up to 90 days in jail;
- A $1,000 fine; or
- Both imprisonment and a fine.
There can also be a driver’s-license consequence for repeat offenses. If a second or subsequent dangerous excessive speeding violation occurs within five years after a prior conviction for the same offense, the driver’s privilege must be revoked for at least 180 days and no more than one year.
Is Dangerous Excessive Speeding a Criminal Offense?
Yes.
This is one of the most important differences between the new law and an ordinary speeding ticket.
Dangerous excessive speeding is established as its own offense under Florida Statute § 316.1922 and carries the possibility of incarceration. Consequently, someone accused of violating this statute should not assume that the matter can simply be handled like a routine traffic citation.
The specific circumstances of the alleged violation matter.
What About Driving 100 MPH?
This is an area where the wording of the statute is particularly important.
Florida’s law does not say that every driver traveling 100 mph or faster automatically commits dangerous excessive speeding.
For the 100-mph provision to apply, the driver must have been operating the vehicle “in a manner that threatens the safety of other persons or property or interferes with the operation of any vehicle.”
That means the circumstances surrounding the alleged speeding can become important in defending a case.
- What was the posted speed limit?
- What speed was the vehicle actually traveling?
- How was the speed determined?
- Was there other traffic?
- Was the vehicle changing lanes?
- Was another vehicle allegedly affected?
- What exactly did the officer observe?
- What evidence supports the allegation that someone’s safety or property was threatened?
- Was the officer’s speed measurement accurate and properly obtained?
The answers to these questions can be significant.
What If Someone Is 50 MPH Over the Speed Limit?
The statute also establishes a separate category based on the difference between the driver’s speed and the posted speed limit.
If a driver is alleged to have traveled 50 mph or more above the applicable speed limit, that conduct falls within the dangerous excessive speeding statute.
For example, if the posted speed limit is 55 mph and a driver is alleged to have been traveling 105 mph, the alleged speed is 50 mph over the limit.
Because dangerous excessive speeding is a criminal offense, the case may require substantially more attention than an ordinary speeding citation. If you are facing a traffic-related criminal allegation, our Florida traffic ticket defense information provides additional background on traffic-related charges and court proceedings.
You May Also Have to Appear in Court
Florida law separately identifies certain speeding infractions as requiring a mandatory hearing.
Under Florida Statute § 318.19, a person cited for exceeding the speed limit by 30 mph or more must appear before the designated official at the scheduled hearing rather than simply using the ordinary procedures available for many traffic infractions.
This is another reason that drivers should pay close attention to the exact citation they receive and the allegations contained in it. If the alleged conduct results in a criminal charge, our Florida felony charges and Florida misdemeanor charges pages explain the distinction between these classifications and their potential consequences.
How Can a Dangerous Excessive Speeding Case Be Defended?
Every case is different, and there is no single defense that applies to every speeding allegation.
A defense attorney may examine issues such as the accuracy and reliability of the speed measurement, the applicable speed limit, the circumstances surrounding the alleged violation, the officer’s observations, and whether the facts actually satisfy the statutory elements of dangerous excessive speeding.
For allegations involving speeds of 100 mph or more, the circumstances surrounding the alleged driving behavior can be particularly important because the statute requires more than simply reaching the 100-mph threshold.
The evidence should be examined carefully rather than assuming that the number written on a citation automatically establishes every element of the offense.
What Should You Do If You Have Been Charged?
If you have received a citation or have been charged with dangerous excessive speeding in Sarasota County, do not assume that it is simply an ordinary speeding ticket.
The potential penalties include jail, fines, and—under certain circumstances involving repeat convictions—a driver’s-license revocation.
You should carefully review the citation and determine exactly what offense has been charged and what facts the State is relying upon.
If you are facing a dangerous excessive speeding allegation in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, or elsewhere in Sarasota County, an experienced Sarasota criminal defense attorney can review the circumstances of your case and explain the potential consequences and available defenses.
Facing a Dangerous Excessive Speeding Charge in Sarasota?
A speeding allegation involving 50 mph or more over the limit—or an allegation involving driving 100 mph or faster under the circumstances described by the statute—can have consequences that are much more serious than a typical traffic ticket.
If you have been charged with dangerous excessive speeding in Sarasota County, contact an experienced Sarasota criminal defense attorney to discuss your case.
Do not assume that a citation automatically means you have no options. The facts and evidence in each case matter.
