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Published on Tuesday, November 30, 2004
in the Melbourne Florida Today
Thirty-seven people died on Florida's roadways during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to preliminary information from the Florida Highway Patrol.
That includes a deadly Florida Turnpike accident Sunday that left six people dead near Vero Beach and another crash that killed a Brevard County man Saturday.
"Unfortunately, the weekend ended up being as busy as we expected," said Trooper Kim Miller, FHP spokeswoman. "That means a lot of families were affected. . . . And that number could go up."
Last year, FHP's preliminary reports showed 34 deaths during the Thanksgiving weekend. That number climbed to 48 as people died from injuries in crashes.
Mantill Williams, AAA travel group spokesman, said an estimated 30.6 million people were on the nation's highways during the five-day period. In Florida, an estimated 2 million people traveled by car, an increase of 3 percent compared to last year.
Miller said FHP troopers were called to 50 crashes in Brevard and assisted another 170 drivers whose vehicles broke down or had flat tires. She said 118 got speeding tickets, Miller said.
Statewide, preliminary numbers show 1,004 speeding tickets and trooper response to 206 crashes, Miller said. Troopers also assisted 403 motorists.
Nine people died in crashes in the six-county patrol area that includes Brevard.
The one fatality in Brevard occurred Saturday, when Lawrence Lindsey, 52, crossed the median along Interstate 95 in his Toyota pickup and struck a tree, investigators said.
The cause still is unknown. Officials said he was not drinking and he was wearing his seat belt.
Monday's preliminary numbers worry FHP officials about increased traffic for the Christmas holidays.