ATLANTA – An Atlanta city council member is calling for increased fines and jail time for speeding as part of a new resolution introduced at Monday’s city council meeting.
Atlanta City Council member Keisha Waites introduced the resolution, which calls on the state legislature to pass “Erica’s Law” and urges the Georgia General Assembly to strengthen the laws and consequences for speeding in Atlanta.
The Atlanta City Council said the legislation was designed to more effectively address the “horrific impact” of street and drag racing.
The motivation behind the bill comes after Atlanta resident Erica Pines, for whom the legislation is named, suffered serious injuries after drag racers crashed into her car in July.
The incident shattered her leg and left her immobile.
According to Waites, this was just one of hundreds of accidents caused by street racing.
Councilman Waites pointed out that in Gwinnett County, street racing caused the deaths of five teenagers in September.
“This legislation is about saving lives. It’s as simple as that,” Waites said.
Waites is calling for increased fines and, in some cases, jail time.
The legislation calls for the following penalties to be enforced if a driver is caught drag or street racing, driving recklessly or driving at unsafe speeds:
- First offence: licence suspended for five years.
- Second offence: licence suspended for 10 years.
- Third offence: licence suspended for life.
In a statement released on Monday night, Councillor Waites said Erica’s Law was a “commitment to road safety”:
“Speeding is a significant contributor to traffic accidents and fatalities. Legislation to control speed limits is essential to ensure public safety and reduce the number of accidents on our roads. Erica’s Law is our commitment to road safety; holding speeders to account is a principle that demands our attention and diligence. Excessive speeding poses a significant threat to the well-being of people on our roads, and accountability serves as a critical mechanism to address this danger.