FORT BRAGG, N.C. – It’s no April Fool’s Day joke, increased penalties for speeders will go into effect on April 1 across the installation, including the ranges and training areas.
New penalties are being put in place for anyone going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit. Anyone driving anywhere on the installation at 15 mph above the posted speed limit will be subject to a suspension of driving privileges. Previously, suspensions were only issued for any speed over 80 mph.
“In response to numerous complaints received from the community and an increase in speeding violations the command team is laser focused on making Fort Bragg safe,” explained Col. John Wilcox, Fort Bragg garrison commander. “We are dead serious about speeding and there are far too many issues and we are going to take a gradual and deliberate approach on how we get after this.”
Under the new penalties, those going 15 mph over the speed limit will receive a 30-day suspension of on-post-driving privileges for the first offense, a six-month suspension for the second offense within one year and a one-year suspension for a third offense within two years. Anyone caught going 81 mph or more anywhere on the installation will receive a one-year suspension. In addition, if a driver is caught while suspended, he or she will receive a five-year suspension for uniformed personnel and a two-year suspension for civilians.
In most cases, a driver will have 14-calendar days after receiving a notice of suspension of driving privileges to appeal or request restricted driving privileges.
Lt. Col. Christian Ladnier, DES deputy director, is quick to remind drivers that while driving only 14 mph over the speed limit may save them from a suspension of driving privileges, it won’t save drivers from consequences.
“An accumulation of 1408 traffic ticket points can also lead to a suspension of driving privileges on the installation,” explained Ladnier. “In addition, we have reinstituted the use of DD Form 1408 allowing commanders to better track infractions and deliver additional punitive action.”
The DD Form 1408 is a military traffic ticket and may result in unit commanders initiating non-judicial punishment, which may result in garnishing of wages, additional duty time, or even a reduction in rank. It will be issued to both service members and Department of Defense civilians for speeding offenses under 81 mph, and expired or missing licenses, registrations and insurance.
In 2022, the Directorate of Emergency Services issued approximately 4,500 tickets. 50 percent of those tickets were for speeding and 25 percent were for expired registrations and plates.
“There’s been far too many issues with speeding. We are going to put a few things in place to see if that mitigates the problem and if not, we will put a few more things in place,” said Wilcox. “We will absolutely take away your driving privileges if you speed on this installation and we’re going to take it away for a while if you continue to do so. Up to five years.”
Community members can report an area with speeding issues by calling it in to the non-emergency lines at 910-907-4813 or 910-396-0391.
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