TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida drivers may soon be able to push the pedal to the metal a little harder if a new bill making its way through the state legislature passes in the final weeks of the session.
You might recall Sammy Hagar’s classic anthem, "I Can't Drive 55." Well, it seems the Florida legislature is starting to hear him loud and clear.
WATCH: Senate committee approves transportation bill
A final Florida Senate committee approved this year’s major transportation bill on Tuesday, pushing it to the full chamber for a future vote.
And under the hood of this bill? A proposal to raise speed limits on some of Florida’s major roadways by five miles an hour.
For instance, Florida's interstate highways and freeways could go from a 70 mph maximum speed limit to 75 mph, while rural four-lane highways could see their speed limits bumped from 65 mph to 70 mph.
Senator Nick DiCeglie, a Republican from St. Petersburg, is leading the charge on this legislation. He sees this as a natural step forward for Florida's roadways, particularly in rural areas.
“There are a lot of roadways in our state that are rural. I come to Tallahassee via US 19,” DiCeglie said during a discussion on the bill.
However, before anyone gets too excited, DiCeglie emphasized that safety would be the driving factor.
While the bill opens the door for speed limit changes, any increase would require approval from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), based on a safety study.
"If FDOT determines it’s safe to raise that speed limit to 75 mph, then they’re going to have the authority to do that. This is all based on safety, on that study. This doesn’t automatically raise speed limits by five mph — I’ll just tell folks stay tuned,” DiCeglie explained.
WATCH: Florida bill seeks to raise speed limits
Interestingly, some research suggests that raising speed limits could actually enhance safety in certain situations.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) points to studies indicating that roads are safest when vehicles are allowed to travel at the same speed.
However, not everyone agrees with this view.
A 2019 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that raising speed limits by just five miles per hour was linked to an 8.5% increase in fatalities on interstates and freeways, and a 2.8% increase on other roads.
For DiCeglie, the proposal isn’t about reinventing the wheel — it’s about taking cues from other states. He pointed out that at least seven states tried similar measures last year.
“This is just looking at what other states have done. It’s five miles an hour — and let the FDOT do their thing,” DiCeglie said.
If the bill passes both chambers and reaches Governor Ron DeSantis’s desk, Florida drivers may have to wait a little longer before seeing any actual changes.
FDOT would need to conduct its studies before implementing any new speed limits, and those evaluations could take some time. Still, with FDOT experts in the driver's seat, a change might be a matter of time.
