FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL OUT IN FORCE OVER LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND

To keep the state's highways and by-ways safe over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the Florida Highway Patrol is stepping up enforcement. "To ensure the safest possible driving environment for the people of Florida, each of our ten troops has developed a comprehensive traffic law enforcement plan that addresses impaired driving, safety belt use and child restraint violations, aggressive driving, speeding, and other hazardous moving violations," said Lt. Colonel Czernis.

The FHP, which increased the numbers of the troopers on patrol at midnight Wednesday, plans to maintain beefed up enforcement through midnight on Sunday. All FHP officers who are normally assigned to administrative duty have been re-assigned to patrol duty during the 120 hour special enforcement period.

"Greater compliance to traffic laws would go a long way towards curbing the number of traffic related deaths in our state," added Czernis. The FHP reminds all drivers not to operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol and not to drive when tired or drowsy.

Last year, 48 people were killed in 45 accidents across Florida over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. 19 drivers and passengers who died were not wearing a seat belt. The FHP also wants to remind drivers of Florida's "Move Over" law which requires drivers to "move over" or "slow down" when approaching an authorized emergency vehicle that is stopped on a highway in Florida. When drivers approach a law enforcement vehicle or other authorized emergency vehicle, like a tow truck, parked on a roadway with their emergency lights activated, they are required to vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle, as soon as it is safe to do so.

If they are on a two lane road and cannot move over one lane, drivers are required to slow to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or greater; or travel at five miles per hour when the posted speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less.