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Published on Friday, February 27, 2004
in the St. Petersburg Times
Standing beneath an overpass, Sgt. Leif Cardwell pointed his laser toward a torrent of cars heading east on Interstate 4 in Hillsborough County.
He saw traffic violations aplenty - speeding, tailgating, improper lane changes - and quickly dispatched one of five troopers to chase down cars and issue citations.
Cardwell's laser operation is part of a statewide campaign against aggressive driving that has put more Florida Highway Patrol cars on the road than at any other time in the agency's history, according to FHP officials.
For the two-day effort that began Thursday and will end today, troopers are using 1,500 marked cars, 300 unmarked cars, video cameras, radar and airplanes. The program was initiated in response to increased complaints about aggressive driving.
"We have received numerous letters and e-mails from citizens and visitors complaining about aggressive drivers in every part of Florida," said Col. Chris Knight, director of the FHP.
An additional 200 officers will patrol the roads during the two-day Operation Safe Ride, said FHP Sgt. Doug Dodson. Most of those officers are supervisors who don't typically work patrol shifts.
Across Tampa Bay, an estimated 30 to 40 troopers will work additional shifts to help with the campaign, Dodson said.
"Everyone is out on the roads," he said.
Troopers will look for aggressive drivers on interstates and major thoroughfares across Florida, Dodson said. They will issue citations for speeding, driving or passing on the shoulder and making unsafe lane changes.
In some cases, troopers will check an "aggressive driving" box on the citation, and although no additional fines will be levied by troopers, some judges are more likely to impose higher penalties when that box is checked, Dodson said.
On Thursday afternoon, Sgt. Cardwell jumped into his car when he saw a four-door Saturn following another car too closely. The Saturn changed lanes four times in a quarter mile, passing rapidly in and out of traffic.
The driver of the Saturn received one of about a dozen citations issued in a two-hour period at the intersection of Interstate 4 and and Interstate 275, Cardwell said.
"We're increasing our visibility in heavy traffic areas, and hopefully we'll put the word out that people need to be more careful," he said.
Combining speed, improper passing and following too closely increases the potential for disaster on highways exponentially, Cardwell said.
"This behavior is increasing the number of injuries and fatalities," he said.
Last year, aggressive drivers received 6,643 citations, up slightly from the year before.
The FHP said the two-day campaign against aggressive driving will be repeated periodically throughout the year.
"It will be back," Dodson said.