Teen afraid of being late to class drove nearly 100 mph in 45-mph zone, Florida cops say

A teen accused of driving nearly 100 mph in a 45-mph zone said he “didn’t want to be late for school,” according to a Florida sheriff’s office.

A deputy stopped the teen on a road in Orlando early in the morning on Sept. 15, according to a statement posted on Twitter by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver, a high school student, was going 96 mph, according to the sheriff’s office, which tweeted a photo of the radar gun used to measure the speed of the car.

The driver received a “talking to,” a ticket that mandates a court appearance and a $354 fine, according to the sheriff’s office.

Teens are more likely to speed while driving than older people, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2019, 31% of male drivers between the ages of 15–20 years old and 17% of female drivers of the same age group who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding, according to the agency.

Teens aged 16-19 are more likely than any other age group of drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S.

This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 9:14 AM with the headline "Teen afraid of being late to class drove nearly 100 mph in 45-mph zone, Florida cops say."