When Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders were caught driving over 100 mph on I-71, they joined an alarmingly large club of extreme speeders in Ohio.
“So Miles Garrett and rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders were both clocked at more than 100 miles an hour on I-71. Everyone remembers all these cases that we’ve been reading about,” explained Leila Atassi on Monday’s Today in Ohio episode. “In Ohio, that kind of stunt costs you about 250 bucks and some points on your license. And that’s painful for most people.”
But what’s painful for the average Ohioan barely registers for professional athletes. And the penalties pale in comparison to those in other states, where lawmakers have decided that triple-digit speeds deserve triple-digit consequences.
“Going 100 or more is a pretty serious offense,” Atassi said of a new Florida approach. “The new super speeder law that they have on the books makes it a misdemeanor. The first offense, up to 30 days in jail and a mandatory court date and a $500 fine. You do it again and you could be looking at 90 days behind bars and a grand in fines and your license suspended”
In Virginia, 85 mph can bring a reckless driving charge and up to a year in jail.
Ohio’s approach lacks escalating penalties for repeat offenders. Garrett’s most recent ticket was his eighth since joining the Browns, yet he faces the same consequences as a first-time offender.
“You would definitely think that by now that would trigger something tougher and at least heavier fines or reckless driving charge,” Atassi said.
The lack of escalation has left many wondering why prosecutors aren’t using existing laws like reckless driving charges to put the brakes on repeat offenders.
“That’s a prosecutor’s role, is to make that decision,” argued Chris Quinn. “Lawmakers always resort to ‘we need another law’ when actually our laws are pretty good. It’s just they’re not used by the people who are supposed to enforce them. And the question is, why not? At this point, why not?”
Perhaps most concerning is the sheer volume of extreme speeders on Ohio’s roads. As Atassi pointed out, “This year troopers cited nearly... 2,285 people with driving 100 mph or more. And troopers nabbed 73 in Cuyahoga county alone… Those are just the people who got caught.”
Ohio lawmakers are debating the addition of a higher fine fine for extreme speeding, but is that enough to slow down drivers who see current penalties as merely the cost of a high-speed thrill – especially when those drivers have the financial means to easily absorb such minor consequences.
Should Ohio take a lesson from Florida?
Listen to the discussion here.
Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.