Florida state troopers are cracking down on aggressive drivers in their latest campaign, starting Friday.
The campaign, which runs through the end of the month, focuses on ticketing aggressive drivers and speeders in an effort to cut down on crashes.
News4Jax road along Friday with one of the troopers working the campaign, who said aggressive, careless drivers cause about 80 percent of the crashes he works.
Trooper Ahkem Jordan said he's trying to stop the problem with education -- one driver at a time.
Within two minutes of our ride along, Jordan clocked a driver going 87 mph in a 70 mph zone on Interstate 95.
“Speeding, cutting in and out of lanes, not using your blinkers, all those are signs of aggressive driving, and it puts you and other people at risk,” Jordan said.
The speeding driver is heading home with a hefty ticket, but Jordan said it's tough love to keep travelers safe.
“You're trying to get somewhere, you're trying to get to work, you're running late to meet up with someone, and people don't take into consideration the dangers that are out there on the roadway,” Jordan said.
He said rainy weather only makes things more dangerous.
Troopers are reminding people to slow down, keep their distance, wear seat belts, use turn signals and never drive distracted.
Local troopers responded to dozens of wrecks Friday, including a driver skidding off the highway and a three-car crash on U.S. 17 a few miles away.
No one was hurt in either crash.
If you see aggressive or dangerous drivers on the road, you can dial *FHP to report it right away. Remember to get a good description of the vehicle, along with its license plate number.
The Florida Highway Patrol offers the following tips for driving around large trucks:
- Stay out of the No Zone: Be aware that large trucks have large blind spots (also known as “No Zones”).
- Pass trucks with caution: Pass on the left side for maximum visibility and maintain a constant speed.
- Do not cut trucks off: Be sure to leave plenty of room when you pull in front of a truck. Large trucks simply cannot stop as quickly as cars.
- Practice patience around larger vehicles that are not traveling at the same speed as your vehicle.
- Do not drive distracted: Anything that takes your full attention off of the road, even for a second, could be deadly. This includes texting, changing the radio station, talking to passengers and much more.
- Dial *FHP (*347) if you witness aggressive or dangerous driving.
Click here for more information about the campaign and FHP’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement.