Near the end of 2014, Florida experienced a noticeable increase in traffic crashes, especially crashes that resulted in serious injury or fatality.
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) states that in 2015, serious injury crashes increased by 3% and fatality crashes jumped by 17.7% from 2014 with additional increases projected for 2016.
Prior to this increase, Florida like much of the country, realized consistent decreases in highway fatality rates for close to 20 years, with a low of 1.24 fatalities per million vehicle miles traveled in 2014. Their goal is to continue this downward trend until fatalities, and all crashes, go down to zero.
Recognizing that 2015 and 2016 have had a spike in serious injury and fatality crashes, the Florida Highway Patrol has revitalized their Arrive Alive enforcement campaign first initiated in 1970.
Partnering with the Florida Police Chief’s Association, the Florida Sheriff’s Association and the Florida Department of Transportation, the FHP is initiating a multi-agency, multi-discipline enforcement and engineering approach to reduce serious injury and fatal crash numbers.
Details of the campaign will be held at an Arrive Alive Press Conference on Tuesday morning at FHP Headquarters. FHP will be accompanied by numerous Tampa Bay area law enforcement representatives tomorrow for the local kick off with Major Joseph Franza, Troop C Commander.
About the Arrive Alive Campaign
Arrive Alive is the first statewide data-driven traffic safety initiative that unifies all of Florida’s public safety agencies and partners, leveraging a longstanding tradition of collaboration. Over the next year, FHP and partnering agencies will focus their law enforcement presence, education and/or engineering efforts in “hot spots.” These “hot spots” are locations where fatal and serious bodily injury crashes are most frequent, identified using Data-Driven Approaches to Crime & Traffic Safety (DDACTS), consistent statewide messaging and known best practices. This collaborative initiative is expected to decrease crashes, serious bodily injuries and fatalities ultimately helping to ensure all Florida residents and visitors Arrive Alive.