Traffic Tickets and Unsafe Driving in the News this Week

February 23, 2009

In an ongoing series devoted to keeping drivers safe, TrafficSchoolOnline.com recaps some of the driver safety and traffic violation stories that have made the news over the past week.

Florida Driver Charged with 50 Traffic Violations in One Day

On February 5th, 2009, a man in Boynton Beach, Florida was arrested on more than 50 traffic violations. Most shocking of all, the more than 50 unsafe driving incidents were committed in one day.

The culprit allegedly ran through a series of red lights, crashed into another vehicle, and subsequently crashed into another fence. The unsafe driver—and that's the understatement of the year—will face several charges including fleeing the scene, eluding police and reckless driving. Some of the traffic violations include speeding, running red lights and not wearing a seatbelt while behind the wheel. With an unfathomable 50 violations to his name, we're not sure if any land-based or online traffic school could get this unsafe driver off the hook.

Apparently, the lousy driver wasn't too deterred by the state of Florida's recent fine increase for traffic violations. In January, a state Senate Committee approved a bill that will see both traffic fines and speeding ticket rates increased.

Texas Driver Takes Off After Being Stopped for a Traffic Violation

In the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas area, an unsafe driver was pulled over by police for speeding on Thursday, February 19th, 2009. We're fairly confident that had the officer handed the driver the ticket, the offending driver could have dismissed their traffic ticket through an online traffic school course and avoided points on their record. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. When the officer stepped out of her vehicle to issue the driver a traffic ticket, the driver sped off. For those of you who never took a state-approved defensive driving program, that's a definite no-no.

Needless to say, a chase ensued, sirens blared and the unsafe driver reached speeds topping 100 mph. It all ended when the speeding driver crashed into the fence of an area high school. We're not sure what the driver was charged with, but once again it could have all been avoided had the driver just rolled down their window, listened to the officer and accepted the traffic ticket.

City in Wyoming Moves Closer to Nabbing Drivers for Distractions

City council in Cheyenne, Wyoming edged closer to making talking on a cell phone while driving a secondary offense. The ordinance would not allow officers to pull over a driver and issue them a traffic ticket solely for talking on a cell phone. But should a driver commit another traffic violation such as speeding or running a red light, and the driver happens to be talking on a cell phone, he or she could be ticketed for distracted driving and ordered to attend a traffic school or defensive driving program.

If passed, the ordinance would also make using a computer, grooming, eating, drinking, changing clothes, attending to a passenger, watching TV, and a host of other things you shouldn't do while driving a ticket-worthy distraction.

Traffic Tickets Issued in Missouri Down in 2008

The number of speeding violations in 2008 were down 8.7% from 2007. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 113,273 traffic violations in 2007 compared to only 103,458 in 2008.

While high gas prices were cited as a possible reason for the decline—2008 saw record levels at the pump that caused drivers to either stay home or avoid speeding—experts agree that more careful drivers could be a reason for the significant drop.

Nobody wants to receive a traffic ticket and be ordered to take a defensive driving program, even though online traffic schools make dismissing a traffic ticket for minor violations relatively convenient.

Got a Story?

Got a story related to traffic tickets, unsafe driving, online traffic school, defensive driving programs or developing traffic laws in your city or state? Send an email to news@trafficschoolonline.com with a link to the story and we'll share it with the world.