Published on Thursday, March 1, 2007
in the WTVY News

Operation Safe Ride

The Florida Highway Patrol is cracking down on speeders and aggressive drivers during Operation Safe Ride.

Three tourists are taking pictures at the Florida Welcome Center Wednesday.

They left Wisconsin during a snow storm Saturday and are heading to Panama City Beach.

“I've never seen the ocean before,” Margo Bongiovanni said. “[This is the] first time I’ve ever experienced the taste of salt water.”

The ocean won't be the only thing they'll experience in Florida.

They’ll see more Florida highway troopers on the roadways looking for speeders, aggressive drivers, and seatbelt violators.

The three could make a deadly combination.

Florida Highway Trooper Eddie Elmore says, “We're on the footsteps of Spring Break and 231 is increasing, [as] is 79 and State Road 77.”

Trooper Elmore road up and down Highway 231 and State Road 73 Wednesday, clocking drivers with his radar.

He pulled over a speeding truck and issued a ticket, then caught a dump truck. “And that's a dump truck and he's going 71 and it will take him a long time to stop,” Trooper Elmore said.

He issued the driver a ticket, and then it was back to business on Interstate 10, where he clocked another car going 81 miles an hour.

So, if your plans include driving to Florida like many tourists this time of year, plan on slowing down.

“Not so much gawking, [but] paying attention to speed and driving carefully,” Heather Scott said.

Driving carefully will not only save you a ticket, it could save your life.

Troopers piloting seven FHP aircraft will be used during daylight hours to spot violators from the air and then direct troopers on the ground to ticket them.