Florida's Highway Patrol and Office of Motor Carrier Compliance say last week's two-day education and enforcement campaign targeting commercial vehicle crashes was a success.


The two law enforcement agencies worked together to reduce unsafe driving acts that contribute to crashes involving large commercial trucks and school buses. The operation is part of FHP's Be Smart. Drive Smart, Florida! campaign, which focuses on specific traffic violations. The Patrol and the OMCC conducted the operation on Nov. 16 and 17, 2009. It targeted both commercial vehicles and unsafe driving around trucks and buses by auto drivers.

During the two-day period:
* OMCC conducted 573 safety inspections on Commercial Motor Vehicles
* OMCC placed 81 vehicles out of service for safety violations
* Both agencies combined issued more than 6,600 citations for traffic violations
* Both agencies combined issued 462 citations to CMV operators

"During the operation, our troopers maximized their visibility and enforcement activity to safeguard the motoring public," said Col. John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol,. "These initiatives are part of our ongoing education and enforcement efforts that have helped us reduce Florida's 2008 traffic-related fatality rate to the lowest the state has reported in the past nine years."

"Our officers are committed to overseeing commercial motor vehicles," said Dees. "We are constantly working to make certain the goods being delivered to Florida get here in a safe manner. It is imperative that commercial truck drivers set the example by obeying state and federal laws and regulations meant to protect their safe passage and that of the motoring public."