The Florida Highway Patrol announced a statewide traffic enforcement detail referred to as “Operation Safe Ride”. According to FHP Col. John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, all available personnel will be out on the roadways on December 17-18 in an attempt to get motorists to slow down and drive safely during the holiday season. Florida has always had a very proactive traffic law enforcement community and statistics often claim that 15 percent of all traffic tickets issued in the country come from Florida. In the last year that statistics are available, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported that over 1.3 million speeding tickets were issued to motorists. That statistic only accounts for actual speeding citations and not for violation of a traffic control device which is a modifed speeding ticket in the State of Florida. An officer has discretion at the time of the traffic stop to issue a citation with reduced points and fine if the driver was cooperative. Because the cost of traffic tickets has increased so dramatically in the last few years many officers are using that statute and cutting motorists a break. The Florida Highway Patrol uses fix winged cessna airplanes, unmarked marauders and chargers, and slick top Ford Crown Victorias in combatting speeders and aggressive driving. The Florida Highway Patrol has always been understaffed as a result of Florida troopers being the lowest paid state police agency in the United States. Check out our website for Florida county specific information and details about the different types of criminal and traffic infractions.