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Prepping for DUI enforcement on New Year's Eve
Law enforcement is warning people to drive responsibly or don't drive at all on New Year's Eve. FOX 13's Heather Healy shares some safe ways to get around town.
TAMPA - New Year’s Eve is just one day away and with toasting to the new year, it’s important to celebrate safely and responsibly.
If you’re heading out to ring in the new year, plan accordingly. Extra state troopers will be on Florida roads over the new year’s holiday.
By the numbers:
It’s estimated more than 6.7 million drivers will be on Florida roads driving more than 50 miles from home.
The Florida Highway Patrol is warning people to have a plan in place. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going, and if you are planning to drink, get a safe ride home like an Uber or Lyft. Extra patrol will be out there on the roads.
"We are preparing to make sure we have proper staffing assigned to the roadways. We shut down administrative operations, and we make sure we try to get out on the roads when we can, to be a little bit of an extra force multiplier," said Captain Jason King, with the Florida Highway Patrol.
King said if you see a possible drunk driver, call star FHP, so a state trooper can be on the lookout for that car.
There are around 270 road fatalities just on NYE alone in Florida.
That’s according to an analysis by CarInsurace.com and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They also broke down the most dangerous counties in the country and 17 of the top 50 are in Florida. Sarasota and Manatee counties were ranked the highest, claiming the top two spots.
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What they're saying:
This is at the forefront of the mind of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hillsborough County co-founder, Linda Unfried, saying the thought of her family on the roads during the upcoming holiday weighs heavily.
"There's Lyft and Uber and everything else. But you got to make those plans before you go. Stick an extra $20 in your shoe or whatever it costs. Put money away and do the right thing, or ‘Tow to Go,’ that's free. It's there, use it and get home safely," Unfried said.
She cannot stress enough to think about the repercussions of your actions if you're going to drink and drive.
There are plenty of options, whether that be a designated driver, a rideshare like Uber or Lyft, or even AAA’s Tow-to-Go program. The Florida Highway Patrol is beefing up their patrol on the roads as New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest and dangerous holidays to drive across the state.
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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Heather Healy.