JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol is bringing in extra staff and sending out extra patrols to monitor the roads during the holiday travel season.
“There is more traffic on the roads, which then equals additional hazardous behaviors, and then unfortunately more crashes," said Sgt. Dylan Bryan with the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Florida Highway Patrol is already seeing an uptick in traffic crashes. Early Sunday morning there were three separate traffic crashes, leaving three people dead and one other injured.
The first crash was just before 2 a.m. Sunday. FHP says a man driving an SUV heading south on the Buckman Bridge ran into the back of a man who was riding a motorized scooter heading in the same direction. That man, who was from Orange Park, was thrown from the scooter and killed. FHP said he was not wearing a helmet
Around 3 a.m. Sunday, a crash on Mcduff and Commonwealth Avenue left the driver of an SUV dead after the SUV hit a semi-truck that was parked in the shared center turn lane.
Around 4 a.m. Sunday the Jacksonville Fire Rescue department says crews responded to a crash on the Southside Boulevard northbound on-ramp to JTB eastbound.The driver went onto the left shoulder, ran off the road and crashed into a tree. A passenger sitting in the front seat died at the scene. The driver was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
AAA forecasts nearly 102 million Americans will drive to their holiday destinations this, 2 million more drivers compared to last year.
“The Florida Highway Patrol reallocates resources during the holiday period… Most of administrative personnel, our office personnel will have the opportunity to increase and act as a force multiplier for our traffic safety experts and our troopers out there on the highway," Sgt. Bryan said.
State officials say extra patrols will start this week, and they are ready to establish check points around the area if needed.
“Additional increases in not only visibility, but also education and enforcement of our laws during the holiday season. It’s important to be out there to maintain safety on the roadways during this important time of the year," Sgt. Bryan said.
A message for drivers – slow down, avoid distractions like your phone or the radio, and drive sober.