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Published on Wednesday, December 29, 2004
in the St. Pete Times

Extra officers to watch for New Year's excess

As revelers ring in the new year this weekend, police agencies around Tampa Bay plan to saturate the streets with officers on the hunt for drunken drivers.

The Florida Highway Patrol is shutting down an administrative office to put another 45 troopers in the field, says Trooper Larry Coggins, an FHP spokesman.

"It's hard for us to understand, with all the education, why people still choose to get behind the wheel and drive drunk," Coggins said Tuesday. "Nobody in the world can say they don't know it's dangerous."

Last year, 25 people were killed in crashes in Florida during the New Year's holiday, Coggins said. Alcohol contributed to eight of those deaths.

Coggins said Florida's roads will be especially busy this weekend as college football fans descend on the state for bowl games in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami. "Everyone needs to take that into consideration," he said. "Plan ahead and be patient."

The highway patrol plans to use an airplane and two high-powered Mercury Marauder vehicles to target aggressive and impaired drivers.

Other agencies are ramping up traffic enforcement efforts for the holiday. Police in Tarpon Springs, Clearwater and Largo have assigned additional officers to patrol New Year's Eve. DUI units of the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office will be out that night.

In Hillsborough County, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said deputies will analyze traffic statistics to determine hot spots for wrecks, DUIs and traffic citations. Then they will focus on those areas.

People who have had too much to drink can get their car towed for free by AAA Auto Club South, said Matt Nasworthy, an AAA spokesman. It is part of the "Tow to Go" program, a partnership between AAA and Budweiser. The service is available from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day; call 1-800-AAA-HELP.

"The whole idea is to eliminate the last excuse for driving: "I don't want to leave my car at a bar,' " Nasworthy said.

Times staff writer Brady Dennis contributed to this report.