Florida Highway Patrol Seeks to Reduce Traffic Fatalities

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) August 4, 2015 – Traffic fatalities in Florida are higher than the national average, and the Florida Highway Patrol is taking action to reduce them.

Each quarter, the Florida Highway Patrol coordinates with state and local police to increase police presence on sections of Interstate 75 with the goal of reducing fatalities to zero during a period of several days. The effort, dubbed “Staying Alive on I-75,” involves five other states and has had some success, and a similar campaign called “Safe 95” is now being conducted along the east coast.

“Far too many Floridians lose their lives in car accidents,” said Robert Joyce, a Tampa car accident attorney with the law firm of Joyce & Reyes. “Many accidents are caused by driver negligence and are therefore preventable.”

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were 2,407 traffic deaths in Florida in 2013, more than all other states except California and Texas. In terms of fatalities per 100,000 people, the state was the 19th most deadly in the nation, with 12.3 deaths per 100,000 population, above the national average of 10.3. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported that the majority of fatal car accidents occur on state or federal roads.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s safety initiative included a public awareness campaign in addition to stepped-up enforcement efforts. FHP focused on problems that cause accidents such as impaired driving, distracted driving, seatbelt use and speeding. The Safe 95 initiative focuses on a particularly dangerous highway. The 382 miles of Interstate 95 that pass through Florida was once the most deadly stretch of highway in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Learn more at http://www.joyceandreyespa.com Joyce and Reyes Law Firm, P.A. 307 S Hyde Park Ave Tampa, FL 33606 Call: 813.251.2007