FHP increasing patrols over Thanksgiving holiday
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) says every trooper will be out patrolling the roads this Thanksgiving holiday to keep drivers safe.
FHP said troopers will be looking for aggressive drivers and people driving under the influence. Last year, FHP said there were 9,900 crashes across Florida during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Lt. Derrick Rahming with FHP said, “It’s a lot more dangerous, because you have a lot more people. You have anxiety a little bit, because people want to get where they are going. Last year, we had 198 impaired driving crashes in the state of Florida during the holiday period of Thanksgiving.”
AAA expects nearly 50 million people to drive 50 miles or more to their Thanksgiving destination this year. AAA said it will be the most drivers on the road for the Thanksgiving holiday period since 2005.
FHP troopers will also be looking for drivers who need help. “If anyone breaks down we’re going to have troopers out there to check on those that might be on the side of the road. So we just want to make sure everyone makes it to their destination safely,” Lt. Rahming said.
AAA is also offering its Tow-to-Go program in Florida, which offers a safe ride home for people to ensure they do not drive drunk. Service is being offered starting Wednesday, Nov. 27 and ends Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6 AM. People can call 855-2-TOW-2-GO or 855 286-9246 if they need a ride.