New Bill Would Up Fines on Motorists Who Ignore Flood Barriers
Representative Todd Stephens hopes to introduce "Turn Around, Don't Drown" legislation that would stiffen penalties for motorists who ignore road closures during flooding.
In the best possible scenarios, emergency responders who rescue a driver from floodwaters look back a few years later and chuckle at the centenarian who was out to buy bananas in the middle of a hurricane. In the worst cases, they look back and remember the friend and colleague they lost in the raging currents while attempting to rescue a victim who shouldn’t have been there in the first place. With soon-to-be-proposed legislation, representative Todd Stephens (R-151) hopes to curb the frequency of both those occurrences. Stephens' bill, called "Turn Around, Don't Drown," would impose a fine of $500 for driving around a barrier closing a road for hazardous conditions. It also calls for a 90-day license suspension if the driver's vehicle …
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Traci Henn
8:56 am on Friday, February 3, 2012
I agree with the potential law. It's a selfish act to put so many people in danger just because a driver wants to disobey signs put up for his/her safety. more ›