There has been an ongoing debate about speed cameras and red light cameras for several years now. The debate centers on whether these cameras, which judge speed via radar or determine that a driver is running a red light and then sends a ticket in the mail, are worth the cost. At first, municipalities installed them with the hope of generating revenue through increased ticket fines but, after the word got out that the cameras were in place, drivers started obeying the law and ticket revenue dropped dramatically forcing many of those municipalities to reconsider the cost of their continued operation. Now, a new study out of Spain may give those municipalities more to think about when it comes to the cost benefit of these automated traffic regulating systems.

The study looked at speed cameras installed on all of the major routes leading into and out of Barcelona Spain. The study’s authors did a cost analysis of these cameras for 2003-2005; comparing the cost of their installation and maintenance with the cost of time spent by police when writing out tickets for speeders.

Those costs were then compared to the costs of medical treatment, property damage, and lost productivity in the Barcelona area during the same period. Based on the data it was estimated that there were 364 fewer traffic collisions and 507 fewer injuries to vehicle occupants during the first two years of speed camera operation.

Comparing the costs, the study authors determined that the speed cameras saved more than 6.8 million Euros or more than 9.6 million dollars. The bulk of the savings came in reduced property damage and medical treatment costs. The authors stated that their figures are extremely conservative and cost savings could equal almost 32 million dollars.

Cost savings occurring from fewer collisions include:

• Freeing up police and emergency medical personnel


• Fewer emergency room visits


• Decrease in loss of productivity due to traffic tie-ups and injuries to workers


• Decrease in lifetime disability costs from permanently disabling injuries


• Decrease in legal costs


• Decreased volume of court cases

When looking at the installation of these automated traffic control devices, more thought should be given to lives saved and decreased cost to government over the long term rather than short term revenue gains.

Labels: automated traffic regulating systems, red light, red light camera, run red light, traffic school, traffic ticket

When you get a traffic ticket in Florida, you have options but those options have a deadline. You can attend traffic court on the date assigned by the officer in hopes of fighting the charge, you can pay the fine and accept the points on your record, or you can attend an approved Florida traffic school (if you are eligible) and have the points removed from your record. The deadline depends on the county in which you received your citation. To determine your personal deadline, you should read the options printed on the back of the traffic ticket or contact the Clerk of the Court's office in the county where you received the ticket.

Here are a few options on how to handle Florida traffic tickets:

Pay the fine – This is the same as pleading guilty. Though it seems the quickest and easiest way to resolve a ticket, there are consequences for the driver.

• Since the driver has admitted guilt, they may find their insurance premiums will increase when it comes time to renew the policy.
• Once the points go on a driver's record, they could wind up having their license suspended if they receive more points within a one to three year period.
• A driver with a “Safe Driver” designation on their license will lose that designation forcing them to renew their license more often.

Fight the traffic ticket in court – If a driver feels that the citation was a mistake, they can go to court on the date written on the traffic ticket. To fight the ticket, the driver will need to produce solid proof that they weren't guilty of the charges. In order to do this effectively, the driver may want to consider hiring an attorney who specializes in traffic offenses. Fighting the ticket is a gamble that should only be taken if the driver has absolute proof that the ticket was issued in error.

Attend traffic school – Attending a traffic school has several benefits:

• No points will be assessed against the driver’s record.
• Insurance premiums are not allowed to increase (unless the driver was at fault in a collision that their insurance company had to pay out on).
• The driver can keep their "Safe Driver" status if they had it to begin with.

For some, depending on the type of offense, attending traffic school may not be an option.

Finding the right traffic school means:

• Researching a school that is approved by the Florida Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles.
• Determining whether the school has a class that you can attend within your time limit or;
• Finding an online course that will allow you to attend traffic school at your own pace and on your own time.

Labels: 12 hour traffic school, defensive driving course, driver record, traffic ticket, traffic ticket fees

A bill has passed in Florida senate that would penalize motorists who cause congestion in the left lane in a multilane highway by driving too slow. The penalties include fines and points on the driver's license. This measure is aimed to reduce the number of aggressive driving cases caused by drivers who drive too slow on the left lane, causing stress for the drivers behind.

Known as the "Highway Safety Act," it gives law enforcement more authority to ticket drivers who block traffic, even if they are driving the speed limit. Failure to keep to the right will be warranted as "aggressive careless driving."

The senate voted 37-1, advancing the bill. Not only would this bill target those who cause slow-downs on the left lane, but also the eruptive behavior of drivers behind the slow vehicle, such as: tailgating and other risky maneuvers to try and take over that vehicle. Repeat offenders may face fines up to $500 and a mandatory court appearance.

Critics, however, state that the move is only designed to encourage speeding among drivers, and that it will unnecessarily punish drivers who follow speed limits. Backers say that even more dangerous situations, such as overtaking on the right lane or aggressive driving will be prevented.

Current Florida law requires drivers to yield the left lane to other motorists, except when overtaking and passing on the right is allowed. Currently passing on the right is allowed in most of Florida's multi-lane highways, and a lot of motorists are frustrated with one slow driver slowing up the rest of the lane.

The bill still must be approved by the Florida house and signed by Florida governor Rick Scott before it becomes law.

Learn more about about Move Over Law at www.moveoveramerica.com to help make drivers more aware of changing lanes and highway safety.

Labels: aggressive careless driving, aggressive driver, florida highway safety act, slow driver, traffic ticket

The first question a driver asks himself when receiving a traffic ticket is: how much will it cost? The fees depend on the violation and in which county the violation occurs. While the state will asses a fine, each county has the option of adding their own fees. Here's a list of the more common Florida traffic violations and a sampling of the fees that come with them.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) – The ticket fees for a first-time DUI range from $500 to $1000. They increase to a minimum $1000-$2000, if the Blood Alcohol Level is over .15 percent or have a minor in the vehicle. Six points will be added to the driving record. The driver will be required to attend educational courses, pay for and complete six months probation Jail time of not more than one year, and driver's license suspension for up to 180 days. These fees do not include court costs, vehicle impounding fees or increased insurance costs.

Speeding – The fees for speeding in Florida range from $141 to $441 depending on the miles over the speed limit a driver goes. Three points to be added to the driving record. The driver will be required to attend a driver improvement course, also known as traffic school. The court may decide if there is jail time. Depending on the speeding violation, driver's license revocation is possible.

No Driver's License – Driving without obtaining a driver's license is a $101 infraction plus any other fees that are added on by the courts. The driver will be required to attend the necessary driver's education course to achieve license/permit. Jail time is possible and the courts will decide for how long the driver will be prohibited from driving.

Running a Red Light/Stop Sign – Red light running or running a stop sign will cost from $125.50 to $151. Four points will be added to the driving record. The driver may attend a driver improvement course to reduce points, but this will be required for a second offense on red light running.

Speeding in a school zone – School zones are special areas and speeding in them may cost $125.50 to $151. Four points will be added to the driving record. The driver may attend driver improvement to reduce points. Jail time and driver's license suspension will be up to the court's discretion.

There are several other violations, including having an open container in the vehicle (or one capable of being immediately consumed), improper lane change, child restraint violations and littering, each of which carry fines and point violations. To reduce stress and frustration, take a few minutes to review the Florida Driving Handbook and refresh your self on the violations and penalties involved.

Labels: florida driver handbook, florida driver improvement course, florida traffic violations, mandatory traffic school, traffic school, traffic ticket, traffic ticket fees

Whew, your teen has received their Learner's Permit and has been driving for a few months. The hard part of the jerky brakes, sudden starts and grabbing the steering wheel or grasping to the door handle for support is over. No major catastrophes, property damage or traffic tickets. You have entered the easy phase of having your own personal chauffeur. It is a great time to catch up on your to do lists and return phone calls, right?

Not so fast, you still have quite a bit of work to do. The "Designated Passenger" has the responsibility of making sure that the teen you are supervising is getting the most out of their learning experience. You want them to have the right driving habits and practice them consistently. Trying to correct or change a bad habit becomes harder to do as time goes by.

Besides teaching driving skills, what are some things that the “Designated Passenger” should be doing? Start by asking them questions as they are driving. Questions to pose include:

• What do you see ahead?


• Who has the right of way in this situation? What if the other vehicle was there first?


• What can you anticipate happening with those kids playing in the yard? How would you react? What should you start doing now just in case?


• What does the law say about sharing the road with bicyclists? What extra precautions should you take for them?


• If the dog up came running out into the street, what would you do?


• Walk me through what you would do right now if you had a tire blow out? What if the blow out was in the car ahead of you?


• That motorcycle behind you is coming up quickly, why is that important to know?


• What driving behaviors tell you that someone may be a distracted driver? How should you handle sharing the road with a distracted driver? What if they are impaired?


• What can you do to overcome the glare of the sun, while you are driving? What if the fog rolled in?


• Your traffic light just turned green, what should you do before accelerating?
  
• If the vehicle went off the road right now, what is the right way to get back on the road?


• If another car was headed straight towards us head-on, what is the first thing you would do? Then what next? And so on.

Once they exercise strong control of the vehicle, have experience and understand the different types of driving environments and have the necessary driving skills down, the “Designated Passenger” has to change their focus to teaching defensive driving skills. You may also want them to take a defensive driving course and an advanced car control course to help them gain knowledge and experience on handling driving emergencies that you won’t be able to simulate for them.

Even after they are fully licensed, continue to monitor their driving from a “Designated Passenger” role. Driver education is continuing education and there is ongoing work to do to help keep new drivers safe.

Labels: commercial drivers license, designated passenger, driver education, driving skills, learners permit, traffic ticket

If you’ve gotten a traffic ticket lately, you may be trying to decide whether or not going to traffic school is a good idea. With the economy in flux and people worried about every penny they spend, it may seem like a good idea to just pay the fine and forego the extra cost of a traffic school. But sometimes spending a little extra money can save you a lot more money in the long run. In order to help you make the decision, here are a few things that you might want to consider.

There are several consequences to getting a traffic ticket and each much be weighed when deciding whether going to traffic school may be beneficial. Some are obvious, but others are not so obvious.

Fines – This is the most obvious consequence of a traffic ticket. Fines differ from state to state and from county to county.

Points - Driving infractions usually have a point value added and, if you accumulate too many points in a set period of time, your license will be suspended.

Insurance – Insurance companies are very risk-averse and won’t hesitate to increase your insurance rates once they are informed of your traffic ticket. Many states have laws that prevent insurance companies from raising their rates for a driver who attends driving school.

Safe Driver status – Some states reward drivers with a safe driving record with a “Safe Driver” status which allows the driver to renew less frequently than those without the safe driver status.

What type of driver are you? When it comes to traffic tickets, there are basically two types of drivers:

Moderate drivers - These drivers rarely get a ticket but, due to inattention or stress, may find themselves driving a bit too fast and see those dreaded blue lights in the rear view mirror. A driver in this position probably isn’t worried about accumulating points and may decide to just live with the points, assuming that they probably won’t get enough points to risk having their license suspended. While true, these drivers could see their insurance rates go up, eventually costing them much more over the long run than the cost of a driving school. Those drivers may also lose their safe driver status, requiring them to renew their license more often.

Aggressive drivers – These drivers probably get at least two or more tickets per year. One more ticket could put this driver over the point limit, resulting in a suspended license. After completing their suspension period, these drivers may be required by the state DMV or court to attend an extended driving school before they can reinstate their license. The advanced school is much longer and costs much more than a typical driving school. While their insurance rates are probably already pretty high, attending the driving school will prevent them from going up any higher. In an already tough economy, losing your license could turn a shaky job situation into a no-job situation.

Drivers tend to develop negative driving behaviors over time and a traffic school provides a chance to re-evaluate your driving behaviors and look at them from a different perspective. They also can provide you with some valuable tips for avoiding those negative behaviors and, at the same time, update you on new driving laws that you might not be aware of.

Obviously, the best choice is to not get a ticket to begin with. Drivers should be aware that the stresses of the economy can increase your chances of getting a ticket. Stressed drivers tend to allow themselves to be distracted from the very important job of paying attention to their driving. Stress may also lead to aggressive driving behaviors that cause drivers to take more chances than they might otherwise take. Being aware of these issues and trying to put the distractions of the economy aside when you are behind the wheel will make you a safer driver, and safer drivers tend to avoid getting tickets.

Lowest Price Traffic School offers online traffic school for tickets and driver education courses required to obtain a Florida learner's permit. DMV approved and lowest price guarantee.

Labels: aggressive driver, aggressive driving, defensive driving course, distracted driving laws, florida driving laws, traffic school, traffic ticket

Automated Cameras Expected By Year's End

Get ready to smile for the camera, and pay a fine, if you're going to run a red light in Orlando.

Orlando is Florida's largest city to employ automated cameras to photograph and ticket drivers who don't obey red lights.

After being briefed on the concept recently, City Council members gave their unanimous support. Mayor Buddy Dyer, with the council's backing, said he would ready a plan for formal approval in the next few months, and hopes on having the cameras in effect by the end of the year.

With these developments, Orlando is sidestepping Florida lawmakers who have failed for years to embrace statewide red-light legislation.

Commissioner Patty Sheehan said. "That the Legislature will not act is unfathomable to me. The Legislature won't cooperate, so let's do it ourselves."

The details of the plan have yet to be worked out. The cameras cost $40,000 to $60,000 each or can be leased for approximately $5,000 a month, but city officials have not yet fully calculated the cost. They are holding off on decisions such as how many intersections would be covered by cameras and the amount of the fine.

The cameras appraise a vehicle's speed as it nears an intersection and takes a photo of the car and its license plate if it crosses the intersection after the light has turned red. The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority employs a similar system to photograph tollbooth violators.

A police officer will review the photographs, and then determine whether a ticket should be mailed.

According to city officials, the problem can no longer be ignored. Police Chief Michael McCoy said that in Florida, red-light violators cause at least 100 fatalities and more than 6,300 injuries a year. At least 458 crashes resulted from red light running last year in Orlando alone.

In 2005, the city tested the cameras' effectiveness in a pilot project at a major intersection. Over 7,500 violations were photographed in nine months, with warning letters being issued to 2,946 violators. To spot that many red-light violations, it would take 20 motorcycle cops a full year.

"Traffic enforcement is a very labor-intensive part of our Police Department," Dyer said. "Red-light cameras would certainly be a way to make it more efficient."

McCoy added that crashes at the test intersection shrunk by half, and violations dropped by 43 percent.

"We sent out thousands of warning letters and had absolutely no complaints from the public," he said. "I think the public is strongly behind this. It's overdue."

State laws do not address red-light cameras, but it is the state attorney general's opinion that the photos cannot be the basis of a traffic citation.

Municipal leaders have urged lawmakers to specifically permit the use of red-light cameras for a decade, to no avail. Lawmakers most often cite privacy issues in blocking the cameras' use.

According to city lawyers, Orlando could issue a ticket that's akin to a parking or code-enforcement infraction. This would result in a monetary fine, but no points on the violator's license, no jail time and no seizure of property.

The city of Gulf Breeze has been employing a similar process for a year, and just this month Apopka began issuing $125 fines.

There's a small chance that the city's action could be found unconstitutional, said City Attorney Mayanne Downs.

"We just need to send a message," Commissioner Phil Diamond said, "and hopefully people will start driving more carefully."

Did you know that courses are available to educate drivers on the rules of the road and the latest defensive driving techniques? Try one now!

Labels: defensive driving course, red light, red light camera, traffic fines, traffic ticket

Some drivers, after receiving a speeding ticket, complain that the speed limits are unreasonable and impossible to obey, while others go even further to claim that the speed laws are just a scheme concocted by the government to make money. The truth is that, for the most part, speed limits are set by traffic engineers to move the greatest amount of traffic at the highest safest speed. If that weren't the case, traffic gridlock would be even worse than it is.

Several different factors go into setting speed limits; the size and condition of the road, the amount of traffic the road is expected to carry, and things that adjoin the road such as schools or shopping centers. Speed limits are always set for ideal conditions. Speed limits can't take extraordinary conditions such as rain, snow, ice, or fog into account and it is these types of conditions that get drivers into a lot of trouble.

In November 2007 a foggy California highway became the scene of a massive pile up involving 108 vehicles and 18 big rigs resulting in two deaths. State authorities blamed excessive speed in foggy conditions for the pile-up.

Drivers tend to take the speed limit as gospel, often forgetting the other factors that go into determining what a safe speed should be. The posted speed limit doesn't mean that it is the safe limit. Drivers should travel at a speed lower than the posted speed limit when:

Visibility is limited - Many drivers don't realize just how much ground their vehicle is covering at high speeds. A car traveling at 60 mph is covering almost 90 feet per second. At that speed it takes up to 300 feet to bring a car to a complete stop. At 60 mph, if you can't see more than 300 feet ahead, you are driving too fast for conditions. Your speed should be set so that your vehicle can be brought to a stop within your sight distance or the distance covered by your headlights. Higher speeds mean that, by the time you see a hazard ahead and react to it, it is too late to stop in time to avoid a crash. Visibility is limited at night, in fog, snow, and when the sun is rising or setting in front of your vehicle. Dark country roads are the most dangerous of all roads. Many of the deaths on these types of roads happen when the driver is over-driving their headlights, encounter a curve and are unable to keep their car on the road.

Rain - The roads are most slippery just after the rain starts. Accumulated oil and grease on the road rises above the thin film of water creating an oil slick that can cause you to lose control. The rain will eventually wash the oil off the road but that takes time.

Standing water - Water standing on the road can be too deep for your tire treads to effectively squeeze out the water. As a result, your car's tires can rise up on top of the water and "hydroplane" across the surface of the water like water skis. Hydroplaning can start at speeds as low as 35 mph and becomes most dangerous at speeds of 55 mph or higher. Slow down when you encounter standing water on the road.

Snow and ice - Snow and ice are particularly treacherous. Packed snow can turn into ice. Ice accumulated on the road when the temperature is hovering right around the freezing mark can turn slushy and becomes especially treacherous. Most experts say that speed should be cut by half when traveling on packed snow or ice. Remember that bridges with freezing temperatures both above and below the surface freeze first.

Remember, even if you are traveling at or below the speed limit, you can still get a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.

Learn more by visiting SafeDriver.com's Dangers of Speeding course online.

Labels: driver safety, speeding, traffic ticket

View Full Post posted by DriverSchool : 4:05 PM

Could your driving behavior help your state meet its budget shortfalls? With the US economy going down the tubes, state and local governments are looking for ways to pay for government services without raising taxes. One thing that many are looking at as a revenue source is traffic fines.

Recent news reports show that a state Senate committee approved a new bill to increase all Florida traffic fines by $10.00 and to raise some speeding fines by $25.00. For example, the fine for 15-19 miles per hour above the limit would increase from $125 to $150. The same committee also voted to end the 18% break that Florida drivers get on their traffic fines when they attend driving school. In addition to the state fines, local governments can also tack on their own fees making their cost even higher. The state of Florida anticipates raising up to $16 million to meet budget shortfalls. If approved by the full legislature, these new fines could go into effect as early as February 1st.

A quick search of news articles shows that local governments in San Jose California, Tulsa Oklahoma, and Richmond Hill Georgia have already or are considering raising traffic fines to pay for various government programs. The small community of Richmond Hill anticipates that the added fees will generate around $20,000 to pay for internet service inside their police cars. In California, speeding drivers who request a driving school to keep their insurance rates down saw that fee rise from $24 to $94 after January 1st.

Two years ago, to pay for roads and highway expenses, Virginia increased their traffic fines astronomically. In addition to traffic fines, Virginia has imposed “civil penalties” on Virginia residents who break certain traffic laws. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit is $1,050; this is in addition to $61 in court costs and a fine of approximately $200. Violators must pay these penalties within three installments or risk suspension of their driver’s license.

The old saying goes that the only thing you can depend on in life is death and taxes but apparently some taxes can be avoided. Unlike income or property taxes that we can’t avoid paying, it is relatively easy to avoid paying these new taxes; just obey the traffic laws. Drivers who choose to disobey the traffic laws aren’t going to get a whole lot of sympathy when faced with these increased fines. And it isn’t like these are really obscure traffic laws that no one knows about. Speed limit signs are posted in clear sight. Traffic lights aren’t rocket science; you either have a green light or you don’t. So, if you are being hit hard by the economy, it doesn’t make much sense to add to the problem by choosing to break the traffic laws.

For more information on driving safety and avoiding traffic fines visit our website at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com/

Labels: driving safety, speeding ticket, traffic fines, traffic laws, traffic ticket

So, you got caught and received a traffic ticket. You are probably angry and frustrated about having to pay a fine and wondering if you have any options. Before you go to traffic court, let’s take a look at what those options may be. These options may differ from state to state but with the internet, you now have more choices than ever.

Going to court - The first question you have to ask yourself here is; are you actually guilty of the offense? Most drivers, although they hate to admit it, are actually guilty of the offense for which they received the ticket. There is a lot of rationalization such as: “I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic” or “Everyone else was doing the same thing”. If “everyone else was doing it”, it may not seem fair but the officer can only stop one person at a time and it was your turn. If you were actually guilty, then going to court probably isn’t a good idea. You may wind up with an even greater fine along with court costs.
If you weren’t guilty of the offense and you can provide evidence that supports your claim, then you may have a case. If it is just your word versus the officer’s, then the officer’s word will probably carry greater weight. Remember, the judge has heard it all before.

Just paying your fine and letting it go - This is the choice a lot of drivers make but it does have drawbacks. If you admit guilt and just pay the fine, in most states, there will be points assessed against your driving record. Those points can add up and, if you get too many, you may find yourself with a suspended license, and your insurance rates can also increase.

Attending traffic school - Most states have an option that allows you to attend a traffic school to avoid points on your license or an insurance premium increase. If you are guilty of the offense, this is probably the best option for you. Remember though that most states place a limit on how many times you can attend a traffic school (usually no more than once a year) and place a time limit on completing the course. You will still have to pay your traffic fine but you may find that you receive a discount on your fine for electing traffic school. A couple of states actually allow you to attend traffic school voluntarily and bank points against a future ticket.

Options for traffic school – With the internet you now have two options for attending traffic school. Most states now allow you to attend traffic school online. This is a great option for people who lead busy lives and don’t want to devote a block of hours to attending a class. Online schools normally allow you to take the course at a time that is most convenient for you; completing it a little bit at a time as your schedule allows.

Using the Clerk of the Court to explore your options – Many county Clerks of the Court are now online and allow you to pay your fine and choose a traffic school from a list of approved schools. A simple Google search can point you to your county clerk’s web site.

To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com./

Labels: speeding ticket, traffic school, traffic ticket