Published on Thursday, June 1, 2006
in the DeSoto Sun Herald

FHP preliminary fatality report for Memorial Day weekend

Despite the deaths of two teens and a North Port man on DeSoto roads in the two weeks before Memorial Day weekend, DeSoto County escaped being on the list of counties listed for Memorial Day holiday fatalities this year.

Thirty-seven people were killed in crashes investigated by Florida Highway Patrol troopers over the Memorial Day holiday driving period, May 26-29.

During this period, troopers charged 146 people with driving under the influence; issued 8,179 speeding citations' and assisted 3,712 motorists on Florida's highways.

During the All-American Buckle-up Week (May 22-May 29), FHP troopers cited 4,503 people for not wearing seat belts and issued citations to 189 motorists for not securing children in safety seats.

The Florida Highway Patrol again participated in Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort, a national program aimed at reducing the number of traffic crashes on interstate highways during holiday weekends. During the official holiday driving period (May 26-May 29), the Florida Highway Patrol handled 1,556 collisions. Of those, 98 were classified as alcohol-related.

The following numbers provided are preliminary and cover only those crashes investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol.

* The 37 deaths occurred in 34 separate traffic crashes.

* 20 fatalities, or 54 percent, occurred during the hours of darkness.

* Five of the fatal traffic crashes, or 15 percent, were known to be alcohol-related; 20, or 59 percent, remain listed as unknown and with nine, or 27 percent presently classified as not alcohol-related.

* Of the 37 deaths, five, or 14 percent, were pedestrians; six, or 17 percent, were motorcyclists; and one, or 3 percent, was a bicyclist.

* Four of the motorcyclists, or 67 percent, were known to be wearing helmets.

* Sixty percent of those killed in vehicles normally equipped with safety belts were not wearing their belts.

Provided by LT. DOUG DODSON

Florida Highway Patrol