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Florida Highway Patrol Offers Safe Driving Tips for the July 4 Weekend

Driving Safety | FHP | Car

The July 4 weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the year and drivers need to be careful.

TAMPA BAY – While the Fourth of July is known for cookouts, fireworks and activities with family and friends, it is also one of the busiest travel holidays of the year.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and Florida Highway Patrol urge everyone to use caution when traveling this weekend for an enjoyable and safe Independence Day.

“As the July 4 holiday weekend approaches, motorists must be mindful of actions that will make their travel safer. Some of the very basic things drivers can do is to ensure that everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained, obey speed limits, not text or be distracted while driving and, most importantly, not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” Col. Gene Spaulding, director of the FHP, said.

“An alert driver can avoid a crash. Please help our troopers and our law enforcement partners make this coming holiday safer for all by arriving alive.”Texting While Driving | Safe Driving | Distracted Driving

Preliminary data from 2015 shows that 14 people were killed on Florida roads on the Fourth of July in more than 900 crashes. That’s an increase from the three fatalities in 2014. FHP troopers will be conducting selective enforcement operations that target aggressive and impaired drivers throughout the weekend for the entire state of Florida.

The FHP and FLHSMV offer these driving safety tips for this year’s Fourth of July weekend:

  • *Always buckle up. A seatbelt is your vehicle’s most important safety feature.
  • *Designate a sober driver and never drive impaired. Remember: even one drink increases the risk of a crash while driving. Do not let anyone who has been drinking get behind the wheel, including you.
  • *Check your tires before you take a trip. Properly maintaining and inspecting your tires before a long trip is a key step in keeping your family safe while traveling. It is crucial that motorists educate themselves on the importance of maintaining proper tire pressure and inspect tire tread and damage on a regular basis in order to avoid potentially fatal tire failure and rollover crashes.
  • *Stay focused on driving and do not drive distracted. Distracted driving is extremely risky behavior that not only puts drivers and passengers in danger, but also pedestrians and bicyclists sharing the road. Focused attention on driving helps to prevent crashes overall.
  • *Travelers should to use caution when traveling through an area where there is smoke, especially at night.
  • *Call *FHP (*347) to report drunk drivers, traffic crashes, stranded or disabled motorists or suspicious incidents on the road.

For information about the FLHSMV and FHP, go to flhsmv.gov.

Florida Highway Patrol | July 4 | Holiday Weekend | Safe Driving Tips | TB Reporter

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