Free Republic

Virginia Republican leaders defended the controversial abusive-driver fees that level high-priced tickets for excessive speeding, drunken driving and other violations while vowing to add out-of-state drivers to the plan to make it more fair during a campaign stop in Manassas. “The abuser fees are working,” Republican House Speaker William Howell said of the fines of up to $1,000 a year for three years for traffic offenses. “Democrats want to give [abusive] drivers a free pass.” Some driving violations are down 20 percent because drivers are mindful of the new reforms, Howell said, adding the tickets make for safer, better-funded roads....