Florida launches multi-state campaign to crack down on speeding drivers
Key Points(5)
- A weeklong traffic enforcement campaign aimed at reducing speeding and preventing deadly crashes begins Monday in Florida and four other southern states.
- Operation Southern Slow Down , an annual safety initiative led by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), will officially launch at Daytona International Speedway and will run through Saturday, July 18.
- The campaign is a partnership involving the Florida Highway Patrol, state and local law enforcement agencies, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region IV states of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
- Now in its ninth year, the initiative is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of speeding and encourage motorists to follow traffic laws.
- During the enforcement period, drivers can expect an increased police presence on highways and roadways throughout the participating states.
A weeklong traffic enforcement campaign aimed at reducing speeding and preventing deadly crashes begins Monday in Florida and four other southern states.
Operation Southern Slow Down, an annual safety initiative led by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), will officially launch at Daytona International Speedway and will run through Saturday, July 18.
The campaign is a partnership involving the Florida Highway Patrol, state and local law enforcement agencies, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region IV states of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Now in its ninth year, the initiative is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of speeding and encourage motorists to follow traffic laws.
During the enforcement period, drivers can expect an increased police presence on highways and roadways throughout the participating states. Officers will be monitoring not only speeding violations but also other dangerous driving behaviours, including distracted driving and impaired driving.
Last year, the campaign resulted in more than 50,000 speeding citations and warnings, along with enforcement actions involving driving under the influence and distracted driving.
Florida officials are also highlighting the state’s super speeder law, which took effect just over a year ago and imposes stricter penalties for extreme speeding violations.
Under the law, drivers travelling 50 miles per hour over the posted speed limit or exceeding 100 miles per hour can be arrested instead of receiving a traffic citation.
Law enforcement officials said speeding drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in serious crashes, noting that motorists who speed are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly or severe collision.
The dangers are especially serious for pedestrians. According to safety officials, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle travelling at 20 mph has about a 95 per cent chance of survival, but that likelihood drops dramatically when vehicle speeds increase.
Authorities are also reminding motorists that dangerous driving can be reported by calling *FHP or *347.
