Speeding drivers targeted in "Operation Southern Slow Down"
FORT LAUDERDALE - The next time you hit the road, slow it down or pay the price.
Florida is joining four other states in "Operation Southern Slow Down."
The law enforcement initiative is a joint effort with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
All five states and local law enforcement agencies will be conducting a week-long, July 17th to July 22nd, speed enforcement campaign. The Florida Highway Patrol will specifically focus on citing drivers who exceed the posted speed limits across the state's interstates.
CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench took a ride with 14-year, veteran FHP Sgt. Alex Otano as he monitored the southbound and northbound and express lanes on I-75 and it took just minutes to find people who would be stopped for driving at least 10 miles over the speed limit.
Otano said, "You see a lot of people going 20,30, 40 or 50 miles per hour over the speed limit and they are often weaving in and out of traffic and that can cause crashes. They sometimes think there is no speed limit on the Xpress and it just means going fast."
D'Oench also spoke with one woman who said her first name was Christine and who Otano said was cited after going 94 miles per hour in a 70-mile-per-hour zone. She said "I didn't realize I was doing that. I was rushing to get to an appointment. Things happen and all I can say is we are human."
Another woman who said her first name was Jenn was also stopped and given a warning after Otano said she too was speeding. Jenn said she was not in a hurry to get anywhere but said "The traffic was flowing and so was I." When asked about the crackdown, she said "That's good."
FHP Major Robert Chandler said "Over the past few years we have seen a troubling trend in speeding and aggressive driving particularly here in South Florida. Every one of these fatalities represents a family member, a loved one who died."
"Your FHP Troopers will be on patrol monitoring traffic for hazardous drivers and enforcing traffic laws along Florida's state highways in support of Operations Southern Slowdown," said FHP Director Colonel Gary L. Howze in a statement.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, more than 13,296 crashes in the state in 2022 involved speeding or driving too fast for conditions. Speeding contributed to 10.5 % of all crash fatalities statewide, resulting in more than 368 deaths.
The FHP said no matter how eager you are to reach your destination, speeding and driving aggressively is dangerous. Stay patient and give other road users plenty of space.
They also urge you to buckle up and slow down while going through construction zones.