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Published on Thursday, March 4, 2004
in the Palm Beach Post
After a two-day crackdown that caught 663 aggressive drivers statewide, the Florida Highway Patrol is turning its attention to the thousands of college students coming for spring break.
Troopers will be working longer shifts, looking for speeders and motorists driving erratically because of fatigue during Operation Safe Break that began Monday and continues through Easter Sunday, April 11.
"A lot of college students will try to drive down in one day from schools in the Midwest and North," FHP Lt. Pat Santangelo said. "We're trying to educate these young people on the dangers of drowsy driving."
Signs along Florida's Turnpike will encourage students to take a break at any of the eight service plazas located about every 40 miles along the highway. The first 5,000 students who stop at a service plaza gift shop and promise to wear their seat belts will receive a free light stick to remind them about safe driving.
March is traditionally the deadliest month on Florida's roads. In 2002, the last year that statistics were available, 265 people were killed in 23,578 crashes. Both numbers were the highest monthly totals for the year.
Last Thursday and Friday, the FHP conducted the initial push of its statewide aggressive driving enforcement program, called Operation Safe Ride. About 1,800 troopers, some in unmarked cars and airplanes, tracked dangerous drivers on Interstate 95, the turnpike and other major roads.
Besides the 663 drivers cited for aggressive driving, 55 motorists were arrested for drunken driving and 4,748 received speeding tickets. Another 4,400 drivers were given citations for reckless driving, improper passing, following too closely and lane-change violations.
State law defines aggressive driving as a combination of at least two moving violations, such as running a red light, following too closely or speeding. The law does not provide enhanced penalties, but FHP commanders are urging traffic court magistrates to impose higher fines.
The aggressive driving program will be used periodically throughout the year.