As Georgians recover from New Year's Eve and attempt to leave before she wakes up, they'll be entering the era of the Super Speeder, symbolic of a new, more exploitative Georgia. HB160, the swine flu of traffic laws, is the name of the bill that adds an additional $200 state fee to the original fine from the ticket for drivers above 75mph on any two-lane roads or over 85mph on any road. The fine for ambulances is only $100. Failure to pay the Super Speeder fee, which must be paid separately from the ticket's fine directly to the GA Department of Driver Services, also known as the Department of Standing in Line Behind the Asians with the Wrong Forms (DSLBAWF for short), results in an additional charge of $50 and suspension of license.
Because all fatal car crashes are blamed on speeding rather than the ineptitude of the person behind the wheel, this new law that's projected to bring the state $23 million a year is intended solely to save lives. The fees collected will be used to help fund Georgia's trauma care hospital system. Approximately 60% of trauma patients have been in a car accident. Unlike driving, an act Atlantans perform only on the rarest of occasions, the other 40% of trauma incidents result from everyday occurrences such as stabbings, gunshot wounds, falls, burns, suicide attempts, and other random accidents. The fact that automobile accidents outnumber gunshot wounds and stabbings combined is compelling evidence that speeders need to pay.
If successful, the Super Speeder law could become the precursor of additional "super" laws. Already on the docket is the Super Texter law, which fines any drivers texting over 20 words per minute $125 on top of the fine that now exists for texting while driving. The Super Asian law will punish drivers for going excessively under the speed limit, as well as leaving their turn signal on. The Super Old law, which would have carried increased fines for old drivers who can't make out the large 'E' atop the reading chart, was quickly shot down upon realizing that old people are the only ones who vote in local elections.
Fortunately, even though the new $200+ fines will result in a greater motivation to fight speeding tickets in court, based on nothing this new Super Speeder law is not expected to increase the case load for traffic courts.
[Story is absolutely true]
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/22089934/detail.html
http://www.theweekly.com/news/2009/December/21/illegal_speeders.html
http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/home/headlines/80308797.html
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