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Published on Friday, February 27, 2004
in the Pensacola News Journal
The Florida Highway Patrol rolled out hundreds of extra cars and motorcycles and a handful of airplanes Thursday in a two-day push aimed at aggressive drivers and growing concerns over road rage.
The effort, which ends today, put more patrol cars on the road than at any other time in the history of the Florida Highway Patrol, said FHP Lt. Pat Santangelo.
Lt. Tom Moore said troopers want this week's crackdown to attract area law enforcement agencies to future efforts in a coalition similar to Strike Force 98. That multiagency push was launched in 2002 to curb crashes and deaths from Pensacola to Panama City on U.S. 98.
"We're hoping to do the same thing with `Operation Safe Ride,"' he said.
Troopers launched the effort after fielding regular complaints about aggressive and angry drivers weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating and speeding, particularly in urban areas.
In the initial push, troopers were using 1,500 marked cars, 300 unmarked cars, video cameras, radar and airplanes to track irresponsible drivers on all Florida interstates, Florida's Turnpike and other major state roads.
Moore said all troopers in Northwest Florida have been pulled off desk duty to patrol the highways.
"We're looking for the person out here with the highest driving frustration and lowest concern for safety of others - including themselves," Moore said.
Area patrols will focus on U.S. 90, U.S. 98 and Interstate 10, Moore said.
Law enforcement officials hope the two-day effort alerts drivers before the roads grow crowded next month with families and college students on spring break. Typically, the most deaths and auto accidents in Florida are recorded during March.
Last year, troopers cited 6,643 aggressive drivers, up slightly from the year before. Lt. Bill Leeper said judges often will issue higher fines or require an aggressive-driving course for offenders.
State Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, said the two-day effort only begins to solve the growing problem of aggressive drivers.
"It's all over I-95. It's all over the Turnpike. It's prevalent everywhere," said Slosberg, vice chairman of the House Highway Safety Committee.
"This," he said about the crackdown, "is just two days. And after that, everyone's going to forget it."
Call to warn
Drivers with cell phones can report an aggressive or impaired driver by dialing *FHP.