Hands Across the Border emphasizes traffic safety

Published 2:43 pm Wednesday, December 21, 2005

The Labor Day holiday weekend signals the end of summer and many people hit the road for one last vacation. There are more people living and traveling in Florida than ever before, and the holiday generates even more traffic. For some it may be a trip they never return from. Last year there were 23 traffic crash fatalities during the Labor Day holiday.

Through the combined efforts of law enforcement officers from six states – Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina – the Hands Across the Border campaign continues to strive to save lives through education, community awareness and enforcement of laws. The campaign was created in 1991 to raise public awareness of the deadly consequences of speeding, driving while drunk or drugged, and the failure to use safety belts or child restraints.

Law enforcement representatives from Florida and Georgia met on Sept. 1, to show their support of this collaborative effort to save lives. The sea of blue, green, gray and khaki uniforms made an impressive display of force as they gathered at the Welcome Center in Georgia on I-75 to enjoy a breakfast of biscuits and coffee provided by Cracker Barrel of Lake Park. Representatives of the Florida Highway Patrol, the Georgia Highway Patrol and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, as well as others offered words of appreciation for the cooperation between the states in promoting safe driving.

The officers then traveled in a convoy of official cars, trucks and motorcycles with lights flashing north on I-75 to Lake Park and circled back south to the Florida Welcome Center. After a few more words of thanks from representatives of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, the Jasper Police Department, the Live Oak Police Department and others, the guests enjoyed a light lunch provided by the staff of the Welcome Center.

Law enforcement officers were out in force over the Labor Day holiday weekend delivering the message, “You drink – you drive – you lose.” The cost of being caught, arrested and prosecuted for driving after using drugs or drinking alcohol can be in the thousands of dollars. Impaired drivers can lose their license and car. If charged with vehicular homicide, drivers can even lose their liberty.

“Law enforcement agencies joined forces to encourage all motor vehicle occupants to use safety belts and to drive sober during the holiday,” said Carla Sims, Florida Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Administrator.

State troopers, Sheriff’s deputies and other police officers set up sobriety checkpoints along the highways. Sober drivers received pamphlets on impaired driving, seat belt safety and child restraint use. Drunk or drugged drivers went to jail.

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Bob Dallas stated, “This operation sends a message to the motoring public that traffic laws will be strictly enforced from state to state in a seamless effort to save lives during the deadly Labor Day holiday travel period.”