Motor vehicle accident fatalities are taking a backseat to drug-related deaths in Alachua County.
Thirty-seven drug-related deaths were recorded in the county in 2009. Twenty-nine motor vehicle accident fatalities were recorded that same year. This data, provided by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Vital Statistics at the Florida Department of Health, reflects a national trend.
The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that drugs claimed at least 37,485 lives in 2009, surpassing motor vehicles as a cause of death nationwide. Alachua County was no exception.
Gainesville Police Department spokeswoman Cpl. Angelina Valuri said the police department is working to reduce drug-related fatalities.
"The Gainesville Police Department is not pleased with the current statistics regarding drug-related deaths," Valuri said. "The department continues to enforce the current drug laws, and by doing so we hope to prevent any unnecessary deaths that are related to narcotics."
She said the police department has teamed up with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office to form the Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force.
Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell said that the sheriff's office is focusing on prescription-medication abuse.
"We have and will continue to participate in pill take-back programs to assist people in ridding their homes of unwanted or unnecessary medication to prevent the diversion or theft of prescription meds," Darnell said in an email.
GPD and ASO arrested five people Wednesday in a narcotics bust in the Porter's Oaks neighborhood.
"The Gainesville Police Department received numerous complaints from the residents within the Porter's Oaks community," Valuri said.
Darnell also urged the community to help law enforcement fight drug abuse.
FHP Capt. Coby Fincher attributes Alachua County's declining motor vehicle death count to road safety educational programs and public service announcements.
"Education plays a big part in it," Fincher said. "It's about getting out and reaching young people early on."
FHP aims its enforcement initiatives at specific areas with higher crash rates.
"If we look statistically at an area and see these crashes are occurring, we'll target those roadways with enforcement initiatives," Fincher said. "Enforcement ties in to education."
Provisional data for 2010 proves Alachua County consistent in motor vehicle fatalities and drug-abuse death trends. Thirty-two drug deaths and 26 motor vehicle-related deaths were recorded.
"Although sometimes it seems like an impossible goal, we do strive to have no illegal narcotic activity within the city of Gainesville," Valuri said.
