Published on Friday, May 25, 2007
in the Tampa Bay Newspapers

By sea, air and land

PINELLAS COUNTY – Safety first is the message local and state law enforcement agencies want people to remember throughout the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

And plenty of officers will be out in force as reminders and to enforce the laws.

Activities for the seventh annual Memorial Day S.A.L.E. operations begin Friday afternoon, according to Cecilia Barreda with the Sheriff’s Public Information Office.

Barreda said the by Sea, Air and Land Enforcement operation is a joint effort between local law enforcement agencies, the Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.

“Memorial Day is the deadliest day on the road,” Barreda said. “We want to let people know that it’s important to be careful, to buckle up, to obey speed limits and to not drive under the influence.”

Law enforcement officers, including the Sheriff’s Marine Unit and Air Unit, will be out and about through midnight on Monday working overtime to enforce speed laws on the roads and the waterways. The special operation also will target impaired, aggressive and careless drivers and boaters.

Although no deaths or major accidents were reported in Pinellas County last year, on average, statewide, 45 deaths are reported over Memorial Day Weekend each year, according to Sgt. Jim Bordner, also with the Public Information Office.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 24 people were killed in crashes investigated by troopers from May 27-30, 2005. The FHP reported 40 people were killed in traffic crashes over the Memorial Day holiday weekend in 2004.

Click It or Ticket

The Memorial Day holiday also marks the start of the Florida Highway Patrol’s annual Click It or Ticket mobilization campaign, a statewide public safety education and traffic enforcement campaign designed to get motorists to wear seat belts.

During last year's Memorial Day holiday period, 54 people were killed in 51 separate traffic crashes. Sixty-three percent of those people killed were not wearing seat belts.

“Since wearing a seat belt is the No. 1 thing any motorist can do to help prevent injury or death while traveling in a vehicle, it just makes sense to encourage the public to protect themselves during the upcoming holiday,” FHP officials said.

"The Click It or Ticket campaign is an important component of our agency's Memorial Day holiday enforcement efforts. It helps us save lives and prevent unnecessary injuries on our roadways," said Col. Chris Knight, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. "In addition to making sure motorists are wearing seat belts, Florida troopers will also be looking for drivers involved in violations of a dangerous nature, such as speeding, red light running, or driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs."

To step up enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol mandates that all uniformed FHP personnel, including those normally assigned to administrative duties, be out on patrol on the state’s interstates and other major state roads throughout the four-day Memorial holiday period.

The strategy is intended to increase the FHP's presence on major arteries throughout Florida in an effort to deter traffic violators and to provide enhanced service to motorists who break down while traveling or need other assistance.

FHP reminds all motorists to:

- Buckle up – all drivers and passengers

- Use cell phones cautiously and only when absolutely necessary

- Keep eyes on the road – avoid distractions while driving

- Obey all posted speed limits

- Don’t drink and drive

- Don’t drive aggressively

- Call *FHP (*347) to report aggressive drivers and drunk drivers or if assistance is needed.