Most Of Florida's Traffic Tickets Are Issued For This Violation

If you're a regular Internet surfer, you've undoubtedly encountered the infamous "Florida Man" phenomenon from time to time. The term is a catch-all for the zaniness that routinely emanates from the Sunshine State. There's even a website dedicated to curating these wacky occurrences, such as: "Florida Man Steals Excavator, Goes for Joyride, Crashes into Walmart," or "Florida Man with 'ALL GAS No Brakes' Neck Tattoo Crashes While Fleeing Police." These very real events are quite literally the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to Floridians' wayward encounters with law enforcement. 

Given the fact that Florida has some very weird automobile laws to go along with these quirky headlines, it should come as no real surprise that the Sunshine State's most common non-criminal moving traffic violation is, by far, speeding. In 2024, the total number of traffic tickets issued (across 22 different possible violations) was 1,878,962. Of those, 744,082 were for speeding. Coming in a distant second (with 245,666 tickets) was running a red light camera. 

Moving violations occur when a driver behind the wheel of a moving vehicle fails to obey a traffic law. Speeding, running a red light, or texting while driving all fall into this category. Many states (including Florida) use a point system wherein certain violations are given a value. In this case, speeding is worth three points. If a driver accumulates 12 points within a 12-month period, their license will be suspended for 30 days. Reaching 18 points in 18 months results in a 3-month suspension, and hitting 24 points in 36 months leads to a one-year suspension.

Fifteen of Florida's 67 counties account for 42% of the state's speeding tickets. In 2024, the state as a whole saw a 5.6% jump in the category from the previous year, equating to an additional 155,824 citations. ​Miami-Dade — Florida's most populous county with over 2.9 million people — made up 12.6% of the state's total speeding tickets. After issuing 77,482 in 2023 (and 71,381 in 2022), that number skyrocketed to 93,891 in 2024. This 32% increase over those two years is three times that of the state's relatively paltry-by-comparison 9% increase.

They're not the only county that saw a spike. While issuing only 2% of the state's overall speeding tickets in 2024, Lee County (which has less than 878,000 people) experienced a 135% increase in speeding tickets during the same period (2022 – 2024), the highest of any county in Florida.

Penalties for speeding differ based how much over the limit a driver is traveling and how often the driver is pulled over for the same violation. Going six to nine miles over the posted limit results in a fine of about $129. That amount jumps to around $204 if going 10 to 14 miles above the limit. Speeds between 15 and 19 mph result in a $249 fine, and going 20 to 29 miles over the limit will cost you approximately $274. Exceeding 30 mph not only earns you a fine, but a mandatory court hearing. If you're caught going more than 50 mph above the limit, a new law not only dings your wallet but could result in jail time.