The 2010 Drive Safely to Work Week (DSWW) campaign materials focus on the dangers of distracted driving, particularly as related to the use of cell phones and texting while driving.

The 2010 DSWW tool kit can be downloaded FREE through September 20th.

The program provides meaningful activities to:

* Help prepare an organization for the launch of a new cell phone policy;
* Reinforce an existing policy; or
* Build awareness of the issues related to distracted driving and help develop strategies to minimize distractions.

The DSWW tool kit has everything needed to launch a successful campaign:

* Activities for each day, including interactive, electronic-based tools
* Daily communications messages
* Downloadable graphics

The DSWW campaign has been sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) since 1996. Although the national observance of the campaign takes place each year during the first week of October, the materials are not dated and can be used throughout the year for continued promotion of safe driving practices.

Founded in 1989, NETS is a non-profit partnership of socially responsible public and private organizations dedicated exclusively to traffic safety in the workplace.

Focus. Safe driving is serious business.

Location TBA

605 Suwannee Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450

STEPHANIE C. KOPELOUSOS
SECRETARY

Florida Department of Transportation

Media Advisory
Contact: Juan Cardona 850-728-2615

August 27, 2010

LAW ENFORCEMENT TO CRACKDOWN ON DRUNK AND UNSAFE DRIVING

Annual Hands Across the Border Campaign Promotes Safe Labor Day Driving

Jennings, Fla. – Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes – in 2009, there were over 1,000 alcohol related fatalities across Florida.

This week – leading up to the Labor Day weekend – law enforcement agencies in Florida and Georgia are once again joining forces for “Hands Across the Border,” an annual traffic safety campaign. Law enforcement officers will crack down on unsafe driving through saturation patrols and checkpoints throughout the week.

On Wednesday, officers from the both states will meet and pledge to work together this holiday weekend to ensure drivers are maintaining safe speeds, not drinking and driving and always using their safety belts.

The Hands Across the Border event will take place at:

10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I-75 Florida Welcome Center
Jennings, FL

# # #

The 19th Anniversary HATB Events will be coordinated and implemented by LEL Andrew Johnson and LEL Juan Cardona.

Monday 08/30/10 I-10 Pensacola Welcome Center
Florida/Alabama Agencies

*Law enforcement will meet at the Alabama Welcome Center at 9:45am CST
*Roll time of 10:00am toward the Florida Welcome Center
*Press conference at the Florida Welcome Center at approx. 10:15
Scheduled Speakers:
Sheriff Morgan (Escambia County Sheriff’s Office)
Captain Park (FDOT-OMCC)
FHP – Speaker undetermined at this time-Waiting on confirmation

Tuesday 08/31/10 U.S.231 Campbellton Welcome Center
Florida/Georgia/Alabama Agencies

*Law enforcement will meet at the Alabama Welcome Center at 9:45am CST
*Roll time of 10:00am toward the Florida Welcome Center
*Press conference at the Florida Welcome Center at approx. 10:15
Scheduled Speakers:
Sheriff Roberts (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office)
Captain Park (FDOT-OMCC)
FHP – Speaker undetermined at this time-Waiting on confirmation

Wednesday 09/01/10 I-75 Jennings Welcome Center
Florida/Georgia Agencies
See related FDOT News Release.

*Law enforcement will meet at the Georgia Welcome Center at 9:45am EST
*Roll time of 10:00am toward the Florida Welcome Center
*Press conference at the Florida Welcome Center at approx. 10:15
Sheriff J. Harrell Reid (Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office)
Captain Thomas (FDOT-OMCC)
FHP – Major Gene Spaulding

Thursday 09/02/10 I-95 Nassau County Welcome Center
Florida/Georgia Agencies

*Law enforcement will meet at the Georgia Welcome Center at 9:45am EST
*Roll time of 10:00am toward the Florida Welcome Center
*Press conference at the Florida Welcome Center at approx. 10:15
Sheriff Seagraves (Nassau County Sheriff’s Office)
Captain Barrs (FDOT-OMCC)
FHP – Major Anthony Allen

Georgia’s GOHS website has other states’ border locations and information.

You can access a complete .pdf of the document and/or each individual section on the FDOT web site at:

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Traf_Sys/terl/apl4.shtm.

We have scheduled a CPS Technician Class for the following dates:

September 10, 13, 14 and the morning of the 15th in Newberry / Gainesville. The times for the class will be 8 am till 5 pm for the first three days (in Newberry at the CLF Church) and 8 am till 1 pm on the last day (in Gainesville at the Farmer’s Market on 441).

September 27: a one day (8 am till 5 pm) CEU class worth 9 CEUs at FDOT training room at 2198 Edison Avenue, Jacksonville. Bring your lunch, snacks and a drink and get a refresher course with all the new technology and updates from Kidz-in-Motion 2010.

If you have any interest or know of anyone in your organization that would like to become a certified tech, please contact for further instructions.

wimory@shands.ufl.edu

352-231-4637

Thanks for helping us keep kids safe!

Dr. Morya E. Willis
CPS Educator
Shands Children’s Hospital

www.shandssafekids.org

Download report: I-95 High Risk Drivers-10percentersFINALREPORT7-15-10

For more information:

Mike Goldman, FDOT, 904-360-5457

Marci Larson, TPO, 904-306-7513

JACKSONVILLE—Road Ranger emergency assistance services in the Jacksonville area have expanded into three additional counties through a sponsorship from the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO).

The TPO is providing $500,000 a year for the next three years to operate the Road Rangers. The Road Rangers offer free highway assistance services during incidents to reduce delays and improve safety for motorists and responders. The services include clearing disabled vehicles from travel lanes, assisting with jump-starts and tire changes and making minor repairs. The Road Rangers also help with maintaining safety and traffic flow around incident scenes.

“The North Florida TPO is very pleased to provide financial support for this very worthwhile program,” said Jeff Sheffield, executive director of the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization. “Highway safety is a vital part of the TPO’s mission. The Jacksonville area is growing, and efficiency on the roadways is important. The Road Rangers are part of this function to help motorists and clear roadways as quickly as possible. We welcome the opportunity to work with our partners at the Florida Department of Transportation to provide this service.”

The TPO sponsorship means:

*Expanding services into St. Johns, Nassau and Baker counties. The Road Rangers previously operated only in Duval County on I-10, I-95, I-295, S.R. 9A and J. Turner Butler Boulevard. The new service areas will extend along I-95 to International Golf Parkway in St. Johns County, along I-95 to S.R. 200 in Nassau County and along I-10 to S.R. 228 in Baker County. Twenty-six new miles of highway have been added to the routes, making a total of 149 miles covered by Road Rangers in Northeast Florida.

*Improving communications with the Florida Highway Patrol for handling incidents. A new communication system is allowing Road Rangers to talk directly to FHP officers handling an incident in a congested area instead of going through a third-party communication center. This will help save time when clearing traffic backups caused by incidents and disabled vehicles. New communications devices used by Road Rangers and FHP officers will have direct channels, eliminating the need to rely on communications centers at the FHP or the Florida Department of Transportation.

The Road Ranger hours will remain the same, Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on holidays which have higher than normal traffic volumes.

The Road Ranger budget in Jacksonville is $1.1 million a year with about $600,000 coming from the Florida Department of Transportation. The TPO logo is being placed on Road Ranger vehicles. The assistance from the TPO started July 1.

Road Rangers in the Jacksonville area handle about 1,600 calls a month.

Southern Wrecker & Recovery Services of Jacksonville has a contract with the FDOT to provide Road Rangers in Northeast Florida. The company is pursuing sponsorships with other organizations to expand the roadway assistance.

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Coming soon:

Statewide and location specific press release;

Language changes for the 2011 Drivers Handbook;

Add FYA information to the FDOT Traffic Operations Web Site.

Crash Manual2010withoutappendix

A Frequently Asked Questions link will be put on the HSMV web site.

Past Workshop Locations: Locations