Highway Safety: The primary mission of the Florida Highway Patrol is to create a safe driving environment. During the past ten years (1991-2000) 27,716 persons have died in motor vehicle crashes in Florida. These crashes have an economic impact on the state in the amount of approximately $800,000 per fatality.

Drinking Driver: All troopers are trained in standardized field sobriety testing procedures to remove the impaired driver. Troopers made 10,665 DUI-related arrests during 2005. Roadside sobriety checkpoints, DUI "Wolfpacks" and other periodic enforcement and public education campaigns are conducted throughout the state to deter or arrest motorists who drive after consuming alcoholic beverages.

Occupant Restraints: FHP has a zero tolerance policy on occupant restraint use. FHP Public Information Officers presently use four seat belt convincers to demonstrate the effectiveness of safety belts in vehicle crashes. FHP Troopers issued 92,954 citations for safety belt violations during 2005.

Unlawful Speed: The Florida Highway Patrol has a strict speed enforcement policy. FHP currently has 1,468 state and county owned moving radar units, and 269 VASCAR units. Aircraft is routinely used for speed limit enforcement. Speed Measuring Awareness Radar Trailers (SMART) are used as public awareness tools to increase speed limit compliance. During 2005, 386,350 speed arrests were made, along with 142,531 speed warnings.

Faulty Equipment: Absent a statewide motor vehicle inspection law, defective equipment on vehicles requires closer enforcement action by FHP. During 2005, troopers issued 118,839 notices for correction and 32,187 citations for faulty equipment.

Drug Interdiction: The Contraband Interdiction Program (CIP) seized 2.11 pounds of crack cocaine, 16.53 pounds of cocaine, 1,688.10 pounds of marijuana, .14 pounds of heroin, $248,581 in currency, and made 2,621 drug arrests during FY 2000/01. In addition, the CIP participated with other law enforcement agencies in seizing .08 pounds of crack cocaine, 500 pounds of cocaine, 7,624 pounds of marijuana, 40.7 pounds of heroin, and $15 million in currency. The total value of all drugs seized was $20.6 million.

Highway Violence: The Florida Highway Patrol responds to a variety of patrol and enforcement issues for the motoring public, including random acts of violence on the interstate highway system.

During Fiscal Year 2005/06, a total of 253 incidents of highway violence were reported to FHP. Those incidents included robbery, strong arm robbery, rock throwing and other acts of violence occurring on the highways of the state. Of the 253 incidents, 30 involved the use or threatened use of firearms.