|
Home Search |
Published on Monday, December 22, 2003
in the Capitol News Service
Troopers, deputies and police will be out in force over the next two weeks... trying to keep a lid on holiday traffic. This is one of the worst times of the year for drunk driving because off all the office parties and holiday celebrations and Lieutenant Colonel Rick Gregory with the Florida Highway Patrol says they'll be showing zero tolerance for impaired drivers
"It's that, uh, what I call the driver that drinks very seldom, but when they do drink they drink a little too much and then they get out and try to drive. It's the inexperienced person who doesn't have any experience in drinking and certainly don't have any experience in driving under the influence and they get out there and try to make it. That's what causes us the problems,” says Gregory.
Nineteen people were killed on Florida roads during last year's Christmas holiday and 20 were killed during the new year's holiday. But the highway patrol isn't making it's usual prediction about traffic fatalities this year.
"With two holiday seasons back to back, it was difficult for us to try to predict it and we just didn't want to rain on the parade so to speak for the holiday season so we're hoping that last year's 19 will be reduced significantly. We feel if we reduce it by one or two we've been very successful in saving at least one or two lives,” says Gregory.
If you over-indulge during the holiday, just call 1-800-aaa-help. The auto club will give you and your car a free ride home.