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Published on Sunday, August 29, 2004
in the Ocala Star-Banner
OCALA ¯ Local law enforcement agencies are in the midst of a two week campaign to crack down on motorists driving under the influence.
Each year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launches the "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" program to coincide with the Labor Day holiday. This year's campaign started Friday and will run through Sept. 12.
Locally, it will bring more increased Florida Highway Patrol troopers to Interstate 75, who will be looking to curtail reckless driving, speeding and tailgating, said FHP Lt. Michael Thomas. Thomas said from 8 p.m. Sunday Sept. 3 through 4 a.m. Labor day morning, there will also be a DUI checkpoint set up on the 4800 block of State Road 40, just west of I-75. Over Labor Day weekend last year, 24 people died in 22 separate crashes in Florida, according to the FHP. There was one fatality in Marion County, one in Lake County and two in Sumter County.
"Memorial Day is the worst, but Labor Day is right up there with it, anytime you have a three day weekend in conjunction with a holiday," Thomas said. "Our job is to go out there and increase awareness, try to reduce the amount of property damage and the number of accidents with injury."
Last November, the FHP, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and police from Ocala, Dunnellon and Belleview formed a joint initiative called Safety Through Education Enforcement and Responsibility. The program started as Marion neared the end of a year with a record 118 traffic fatalities. Through STEER, patrol officers from the various agencies usually join together to target a specific area known for accidents or infractions. Sheriff' spokeswoman Sue Livoti said the current "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" program will share the same purpose, but will primarily have the various law enforcement agencies concentrating efforts within their specific jurisdiction.
In addition to the law enforcement presence on the roadways, the National Highway Safety Administration has anted up $700,000 to air public service announcements on television stations throughout Florida.
"Alcohol related traffic deaths have been on the rise in Florida since 1998," Roger Doherty, DUI program coordinator for the Florida Highway Patrol said in a press release. "The 1,007 people killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2002 was the highest total since 1995."