Highway Patrol warns about aggressive driving

Historic City News was informed today that the “Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks” campaign will be conducted in St Johns County now through December 5. It is intended to raise awareness about the dangers of being too aggressive on roadways — especially when a large truck is involved.

“Don’t Hurry, Be Happy and Drive Safely” is the slogan that already appears on many billboards in St Johns, Duval, Putnam and Flagler County. Troopers will focus their efforts on drivers who are following too closely, making unsafe lane changes and speeding. In addition to increased road patrols, FHP will be in the air to alert troopers on the ground of those vehicles engaging in unsafe driving behaviors.

“Aggressive driving is dangerous driving,” Sergeant Dylan Bryan told local reporters. “To help combat the hazard this presents to other motorists on the road, the Florida Highway Patrol is running a two-week enforcement campaign aimed at preventing aggressive driving behavior.”

FHP offers these tips for driving around large trucks:

• Stay out of the No Zone: Be aware that large trucks have large blind spots.

• Pass trucks with caution: Pass on the left side for maximum visibility and maintain a constant speed.

• Don’t cut trucks off: Be sure to leave plenty of room when you pull in front of a truck. Large trucks simply can’t stop as quickly as cars.

• Practice patience around larger vehicles that are not traveling at the same speed as your vehicle.

• Don’t drive distracted: Anything that takes your full attention off of the road, even for a second, could be deadly. This includes texting, changing the radio station, talking to passengers, etc.

“With the holiday approaching and more vehicles expected on the roads, it’s a good time to remind drivers to share the road safely with all users,” said Colonel David Brierton, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “Aggressive driving can lead to crashes and the size of a vehicle makes a difference in the severity of the crash.”