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Published on Friday, November 19, 2004
in the Gainesville Sun
A law enforcement war on Alachua County traffic law violators, aimed at reducing surging traffic fatality numbers, will mean stricter enforcement and more tickets, officers announced this week.
"Enforcement, in some cases, is the best form of education," Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Mike Burroughs said.
FHP is part of a multi-agency effort formed in the county to combat a jump in traffic fatalities this year. Traffic deaths in the county dropped from 50 in 2001 to 35 in 2002 and 29 in 2003. But this year the number already stands at 45, just as the heavily traveled winter holiday season is starting, troopers reported.
Blame for the rise in deaths has focused on a combination of factors, including area growth, aggressive or distracted drivers and a failure by drivers to use safety equipment or properly maintain vehicles.
In 70 percent of this year's fatal crashes, driver error was listed as a contributing cause in officers' reports.
Other agencies involved include the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, the Alachua Police Department, the Florida Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance, the Gainesville Police Department and the University of Florida Police Department.
Motorists should feel the impact of the increased enforcement today with more officers monitoring traffic on roads around the county, particularly along Interstate 75.
Fourteen people have died on the interstate in Alachua County this year, FHP reported.
The combined effort has been named "Operation ACE," which stands for aggressive concentrated enforcement.
Burroughs said the operation will be "a perpetual thing" with officers planning more traffic enforcement details like the one starting today. This first phase will run for a 24-hour period until Saturday morning.
"It's going to be a very aggressive enforcement," Burroughs said. "People are more afraid of paying a fine for a ticket than listening to public education. One of the best ways to spread the word is start to issue the tickets. That's exactly what we're doing."
In Alachua County, for example, a ticket for traveling 10 miles over the speed limit costs $158.50.
"You're going to be seeing more law enforcement agency patrol units. They could be unmarked," he said.
During some details, troopers who normally work administrative duties will be on the roads, he said.
FHP also is planning to monitor some roads from the air.
Even when a detail is not being held, the effort to reduce the number of deaths means drivers should expect more scrutiny from troopers when they're pulled over, Burroughs said. Under state law, a person can receive a warning only if caught driving up to 5 mph over the speed limit. But troopers still can pull over these drivers. With the enhanced enforcement, the motorist could end up with a warning for speeding but a citation for not wearing a seat belt or failing to properly maintain a vehicle.
Alachua County Sheriff's Lt. Ryan Cox with the office's Traffic Safety Bureau said deputies initially will concentrate their enforcement on I-75 south of Archer Road and U.S. 441 south of Gainesville.
Motorists also should expect more citations from deputies and fewer warnings, Cox said.
"We know the fines are heavy, but that's what we've got to do to reduce the fatalities," he said.
Gainesville Police Lt. Don Dennis, who oversees that agency's traffic team, said police already had started watching motorists closer after eight traffic deaths in the city last year.
Three people have died in traffic accidents in the city this year. With this first phase of Operation ACE, police will be monitoring interstate interchanges in the city limits.
In Alachua, officers will watch high traffic areas such as U.S. 441, County Road 235 and County Road 241, as well as the seven miles of I-75 in the city, Alachua Police Sgt. Carl Newsome said.