Published on Wednesday, December 28, 2005
in the Melbourne Florida Today

Brevard's roads safe on holiday

As statewide traffic surged during the long holiday weekend, 19 people died in 16 separate traffic crashes -- none of them in Brevard County, police said.

"It's unfortunate that 19 people lost their lives in automobile crashes," said Ernesto Duarte with the Florida Highway Patrol. "That's 19 too many."

Police again plan to step up patrols this weekend, since there's usually an increase in traffic and drunken driving during New Year's Eve.

FHP Sgt. Jorge Delahoz said it was disappointing five of the 19 fatalities this past weekend stemmed from drunken driving, and that 7 other fatalities also may be alcohol-related.

"We were hoping that people would learn they don't need to be drinking (and) driving," Delahoz said.

An estimated 51.5 million people hit the roadways traveling 50 miles or more from home during the weekend, despite recent increases in gas prices, according to AAA's national statistics. Statewide, the auto club estimated 3.4 million people took holiday trips by car.

During one five-hour period Friday, at least 10 other FHP troopers wrote 135 traffic citations -- mostly for speeding -- along the interstate portion of Mims, FHP Lt. Pat O'Neil said.

O'Neil said interstate traffic enforcement efforts this weekend will extend the length of the interstate from Jacksonville to South Florida.

"We've made Interstate 95 the priority for the weekend," O'Neil said.