Racing on a Highway in Florida
What is considered Street Racing?
In Florida street racing, also known as drag racing is when there are two or more vehicles operating side by side at high speeds in a competitive attempt to beat the other vehicle.
Florida law deems street racing as a criminal offense where the offender of the charge will receive severe penalties.
Understand the difference between Street Racing and Speeding
It is important for a person to understand the difference between street racing and speeding. Street racing involves another vehicle whereas speeding does not. The reason this is important is because it is difficult to prove that a person was intentionally racing another vehicle, and therefore if the person was not racing, but just speeding, their charge should be a speeding ticket and not a street racing violation.
The Penalties for Street Racing
The penalties for street racing increase every time a person receives another street racing charge within a five year period.
The penalties for street racing are as follows:
First time offender
- Up to one year in prison
- Automatic one year license suspension
- Between $500 to $3000 fine
- Impoundment of vehicle
Second time offender, if within a five year time frame from the first offense
- Automatic two year license suspension
- Jail time
- Between $1000 to $3000 fine
- Law enforcement can permanently seize vehicle
Third time offender, if within five years of the second offense:
- Four year license suspension
- Fine between $2000 and $5000
- Jail time
In addition, there are consequences that come with a street racing charge that many people overlook. For starters, many insurance companies will drop a person who acquired a street racing charge or they will significantly increase a person’s insurance rates. Moreover, a person who has a street racing charge will not be able to have any driving job because their record will prevent them from being hired. Also being that street racing is a criminal offense a person charged may find it difficult to find work now having a criminal record.
Another fact about street racing that is important for people to know is that a passenger in a car accused of street racing can face the same penalties as the driver.
Defenses for Street Racing
Street racing comes down to tangible proof. An accusing officer must have proof that the accused individual was racing against another vehicle. Simply speeding at a high acceleration rate is not racing and a prosecution must be able to show that an accused individual was indeed racing. In addition, another aspect of street racing that an individual should consider was the type of car driven. If a person is driving a town car that is a luxury vehicle rather than a racing vehicle, it is less believable that the driver was actually racing their vehicle.
Call an Experienced Attorney Today
We know how to fight your case aggressively and knowledgeably as we have been fighting criminal law cases since 2004. If you have been charged with street racing you should call us immediately so that we can investigate your case and see if there are any loopholes in the prosecutions defense and attempt to get your charges dismissed. Call us today and speak to one of our attentive and friendly staff member and set up a free consultation so that we can help you with your charge. Contact us anytime at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848).
