Students leaving town should be extra vigilant while driving during Thanksgiving Break. Florida Highway Patrol troopers will be, too.
The patrol is increasing the number of personnel who normally monitor Florida’s roads starting Thanksgiving day and continuing until Sunday, according to an FHP news release.
FHP is participating in a nationwide campaign called Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort, aka CARE. Troopers will pay special attention to aggressive driving and seatbelt use, according to the release.
During last Thanksgiving Break, troopers issued more than 9,300 tickets. About 4,000 were for speeding, 650 for seatbelt violations, and 145 for driving under the influence, according to the release.
They also gave roadside assistance for about 2,300 drivers, which drivers can use by dialing *347.
Allison Curran, a UF communications, sciences and disorders senior, said she’s going to drive extra cautiously on the way home to Tampa and on the drive back to Gainesville.
The 21-year-old said she usually sets her cruise control at 73 miles per hour but sometimes drives up to 80 miles per hour. However, she said she’ll stick below 80 for her Thanksgiving commute.
“If I know there’s going to be increased patrols, I wouldn’t risk it for the extra five to 10 minutes,” she said, adding that she thinks the more troopers, the better. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with enforcing the law.”
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 11/26/2013 under the headline "More officers on the highway for Thanksgiving Break"
