Published on Thursday, March 2, 2006
in the Bradenton Herald

Highway patrol launches new push against speeding

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Highway Patrol this morning announced it has launched the next phase of its highway safety campaign targeting speeders in an attempt to reduce deaths and injuries on the state's roads.

During the "Staying Alive...Just Drive" campaign, all available FHP personnel will participate in the campaign, including troopers and supervisors normally assigned to non-patrol functions.

Unlawful speed violators will be tracked using radar, Vascar, video cameras, motorcycles and unmarked patrol vehicles. Troopers piloting FHP aircraft will also be used to spot violators from the air and then direct troopers on the ground to pull them over and issue citations. Enforcement efforts will be focused on every interstate, Florida's turnpike, and other major state roads in Florida where speeding and aggressive driving are prevalent.

"Staying Alive...Just Drive" is a collaborative effort between FHP, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the Florida Department of Transportation.

"Most people today consider unsafe driving by others as a major personal threat to themselves and their families," said FHP director Chris Knight. "We know that the majority of the factors that contribute to motor vehicle traffic crashes are mostly behavioral in nature, including speeding. It is therefore imperative that motorists take driving seriously, develop self-initiated strategies that will help them drive less aggressively, learn to share the road, and remember that an attentive driver can avoid a crash."

Preliminary numbers show that 3,515 people died on Florida's roads in 2005, an 8 percent increase from 2004.