47,000 Florida Holiday Drivers Cited

19-Day Enforcement Effort Nets 47,000 Traffic Citations By FHP

LABELLE, FL. -- Col. John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, this week announced the preliminary enforcement results from the Patrol�s participation in the nationwide Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. campaign.  During the holiday 19-day heightened enforcement period, the Patrol beefed up its force by having troopers postpone administrative duties in favor of road patrols and adding reservists and auxiliary troopers to patrol duty.
 
Troopers issued nearly 47,000 traffic citations and made 537 arrests for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs.  This is a little over one per hundred citations. They cited a third of them, more than 16,000 drivers, for speeding and nearly 5,000 for failure to buckle up.
 
"During the campaign, our troopers focused on driving practices that put motorists at higher risk for a crash," said Czernis. "Impaired driving is a dangerous behavior.  These drivers not only put themselves in harm�s way, but they also increase risk for everyone around them.  Motorists should always designate a sober driver if they plan to consume alcohol."
 
The members of the Florida Highway Patrol would like to remind everyone that it is the law to Move Over when approaching any authorized emergency vehicle or wrecker displaying rotating or flashing lights stopped on the side of a roadway.  Also, remember that *FHP (*347) dialed from you cell phone contacts FHP should you need to report an aggressive driver or require roadside assistance.