Published on Wednesday, September 6, 2006
in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

FHP: Holiday weekend traffic deaths fall statewide

Wet weather kept some drivers off the road Labor Day weekend, but the Florida Highway Patrol said Tuesday that a drop in holiday traffic deaths shows those who did venture out heeded warnings to be careful.

Sixteen people died in highway crashes statewide between Friday and late Monday, according to preliminary figures from FHP, said agency spokesman Maj. Ernesto Duarte. The number is significantly less than last year's preliminary Labor Day weekend count of 25 fatal accidents, Duarte said. That final number grew to 44, when deaths investigated by other agencies were added and some of the people injured in accidents later died.

"You have to give the public credit because they're the ones driving more carefully," Duarte said. "Unfortunately, despite the collaborative effort of troopers and law enforcement across the state, we still lost people."

Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties each had one traffic death during the holiday weekend, Duarte said. Statewide, troopers arrested 197 drivers for DUI and issued 8,102 speeding citations, and 1,460 seat belt and child restraint tickets. Of the 1,615 collisions FHP investigated, 102 were alcohol-related, he said.

"We will continue to work hard to provide the safest possible driving environment throughout the rest of the year, and during the upcoming holidays," Duarte said.