‘Slow down & Buckle up:’ FHP and FDOT announce “Operation Southern Slow Down”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This week, you better think twice when driving above the speed limit. The Florida Department of Transportation has launched its campaign called “Operation Southern Slow Down.”

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It’s a week-long speed enforcement and education campaign all across the southeast.

Law enforcement is making the message simple: “Slow down. Buckle up,” Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Dean Lewis said.

Operation Southern Slowdown is a joint effort, with five states participating -including Florida and Georgia.

“From July 15th – July 24th, law enforcement officers in the community will be on high alert for speeding vehicles,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Alex Cabral.

It may be easy to give in to the temptation of speeding, but law enforcement agencies across northeast Florida and southeast Georgia said it’s not worth it.

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“You got to remember there’s other people on the road, so you’re putting other people in danger,” Lt. Lewis said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says there were over 1600 traffic fatalities in 2022 that involved speeding in Region Four, which covers the southeast.

Young male drivers are at the most risk, with 84% of speeding-involved deaths being male drivers from ages 16 to 25.

“I’ve seen speed as high as 150 mph,” Lt. Lewis said.

Law enforcement said they will be keeping a close eye on major highways like I-10, I-295, and I-95 as they see more drivers speeding in these areas.

They also mention speeding can catch up to you in the form of an expensive ticket or a possible crash.

Law enforcement encourages drivers to put the phone down, pay attention to the road, and drive the speed limit.

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