{"id":742,"date":"2019-03-01T16:44:59","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T16:44:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/?p=742"},"modified":"2022-05-25T12:11:31","modified_gmt":"2022-05-25T12:11:31","slug":"742-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/","title":{"rendered":"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Reprinted with the approval of the Florida Highway Patrol.<\/em><\/pre>\n
DHSMV URGES MOTORISTS TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED<\/strong><\/h5>\n
~ As Floridians and visitors travel across the state this Spring Break, DHSMV reminds motorists to always drive safely and Arrive Alive ~<\/em><\/h6>\n
 <\/em><\/p>\n
\"\"<\/p>\n
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. <\/strong>\u2013<\/p>\n
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), is spreading the message Never Drive Impaired<\/em> this March as residents and visitors celebrate Spring Break in Florida. The DHSMV and FHP are partnering with the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Police Chiefs Association, Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and AAA \u2013 The Auto Club Group to spread the message on how to enjoy spring break in Florida safely.<\/p>\n
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cAs travelers enjoy their Spring Break in Florida this month, motorists are reminded to Never Drive Impaired to keep Florida safe,\u201d said DH<\/p>\n
SMV Executive Director, Terry L. Rhodes. \u201cAlcohol and drug impaired driving has severe consequences, from a costly DUI to serious bodily injury and even death. Help everyone Arrive Alive<\/em> by planning for a safe ride every time.\u201d[\/blogcontent]<\/p>\n
Florida\u2019s beautiful beaches and tourist attractions lure thousands of Spring breakers every year. As more drivers take to Florida roadways, the decision to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol continues to be a serious problem. March has the highest number of alcohol-confirmed crashes than any other month of the year.
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cThe Florida Highway Patrol wants to ensure that every driver makes good decisions before getting behind the wheel,\u201d said Colonel Gene Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. \u201cEnjoy your Spring Break in Florida and be sure to use good judgment. Never drink or use drugs and drive.\u201d[\/blogcontent]<\/p>\n
Based on preliminary data, March had the highest numbers of alcohol confirmed crashes of any month in 2018, almost ten percent of all alcohol confirmed crashes for the year. Individuals aged 18-34 were the largest demographic involved in drug related crashes. During 2018, there were 753 crashes involving 765 individuals who tested positive for drugs. Of those crashes, 389 were fatal crashes resulting in 422 fatalities.<\/p>\n
Driving impaired not only puts everyone on the roadway in danger, it can have serious legal and monetary consequences. Penalties for DUIs can include expensive fines, license revocation and jail time. Since 2013, more DUI citations have been issued in March than in any other month of the year. This spring break, law enforcement agencies across the state will continue to enforce the state\u2019s drinking age laws to help keep impaired drivers off the roads.
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cWe are proud to partner with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for their Never Drive Impaired<\/em> Campaign,\u201d said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault. \u201cIt is vital that drivers keep themselves and other motorists safe by not driving under the influence of alcohol or legal\/illegal drugs. Safe roads begin with each one of us.\u201d[\/blogcontent]
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cThe Florida Police Chiefs Association and its members know that Florida is destination number one for creating fun and lasting memories with friends and family.  However, as our state bustles with the activity of Spring breakers, Florida\u2019s busy roads pose a hazard as some make the terrible choice to get behind the wheel while intoxicated,\u201d said Florida State University Police Chief David Perry, President of the Association.  \u201cThe Florida Police Chiefs Association reminds you that it is NEVER acceptable to drink and drive, as this behavior leads to countless fatalities and injuries on our roadways each year.  Let\u2019s work together to make Spring Break 2019 the safest in Florida\u2019s history.\u201d[\/blogcontent]
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cSpring Break not only provides a pause from studies but also a memorable event for college students. Our Florida sheriffs encourage our youth to enjoy themselves but to not destroy this experience by driving impaired or allowing a friend to. On behalf of our great Florida sheriffs I fully support this initiative,\u201d said Florida Sheriffs Association President, Sheriff Mark Hunter.[\/blogcontent]
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cFlorida welcomes millions of visitors every year, and the hospitality industry is committed to ensuring each guest leaves with wonderful memories that last a lifetime,\u201d said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. \u201cFRLA strongly encourages our members and all businesses to serve responsibly to keep Floridians and guests alike safe. As Spring Break season approaches, we have an amazing opportunity to provide experiences that turn first-time guests into lifelong visitors, and education about responsible alcohol service is more important than ever. FRLA is proud to be Florida\u2019s premier provider of Responsible Alcohol Vendor training, and we look forward to continuing to lead Florida as we all work to creative positive, safe environments for all who visit the Sunshine State.\u201d[\/blogcontent]
[blogcontent width=’100′]\u201cDon\u2019t let what should be one of the greatest times of your life turn tragic,\u201d said Matt Nasworthy, Florida Public Affairs Director, AAA \u2013 The Auto Club Group. \u201cPlease celebrate Spring Break safely by planning ahead with a safe and sober ride home.\u201d[\/blogcontent]<\/p>\n
Visit DHSMV\u2019s website<\/a> for more information and resources for the Never Drive Impaired <\/em>Spring Break campaign. The public is encouraged to report dangerous and drunk drivers by dialing *FHP (*347)<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reprinted with the approval of the Florida Highway Patrol. DHSMV URGES MOTORISTS TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED ~ As Floridians and visitors travel across the state this Spring Break, DHSMV reminds… Continue reading PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-campaign-to-eliminate-drunk-driving","category-hit-and-run","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED - Affiliate Southwest Florida<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED - Affiliate Southwest Florida\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Reprinted with the approval of the Florida Highway Patrol. DHSMV URGES MOTORISTS TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED ~ As Floridians and visitors travel across the state this Spring Break, DHSMV reminds… Continue reading PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Affiliate Southwest Florida\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-03-01T16:44:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-05-25T12:11:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"connecticut\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"connecticut\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"connecticut\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/person\/6512c7f91552910fb8e22fcdbb4f902a\"},\"headline\":\"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-03-01T16:44:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-05-25T12:11:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\"},\"wordCount\":871,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"articleSection\":[\"Blog\",\"Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving\",\"Hit and Run\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\",\"name\":\"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED - Affiliate Southwest Florida\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-03-01T16:44:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-05-25T12:11:31+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/\",\"name\":\"Affiliate Southwest Florida\",\"description\":\"Affiliate Southwest Florida MADD site\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Affiliate Southwest Florida\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2025\/10\/MADD_SouthFlorida_LogoLockup_Blk_Red-175w.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2025\/10\/MADD_SouthFlorida_LogoLockup_Blk_Red-175w.png\",\"width\":175,\"height\":75,\"caption\":\"Affiliate Southwest Florida\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/person\/6512c7f91552910fb8e22fcdbb4f902a\",\"name\":\"connecticut\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/49e4b34f22afeb1ba926f1446036ab586b4e0f295c5570753c5cbd760d67a536?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/49e4b34f22afeb1ba926f1446036ab586b4e0f295c5570753c5cbd760d67a536?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"connecticut\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/author\/connecticut\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED - Affiliate Southwest Florida","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED - Affiliate Southwest Florida","og_description":"Reprinted with the approval of the Florida Highway Patrol. DHSMV URGES MOTORISTS TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED ~ As Floridians and visitors travel across the state this Spring Break, DHSMV reminds… Continue reading PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED","og_url":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/","og_site_name":"Affiliate Southwest Florida","article_published_time":"2019-03-01T16:44:59+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-05-25T12:11:31+00:00","author":"connecticut","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"connecticut","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/"},"author":{"name":"connecticut","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/person\/6512c7f91552910fb8e22fcdbb4f902a"},"headline":"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED","datePublished":"2019-03-01T16:44:59+00:00","dateModified":"2022-05-25T12:11:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/"},"wordCount":871,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","articleSection":["Blog","Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving","Hit and Run"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/","url":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/","name":"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED - Affiliate Southwest Florida","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","datePublished":"2019-03-01T16:44:59+00:00","dateModified":"2022-05-25T12:11:31+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#primaryimage","url":"","contentUrl":""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/742-2\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"PRESS RELEASE: DHSMV URGES US TO NEVER DRIVE IMPAIRED"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#website","url":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/","name":"Affiliate Southwest Florida","description":"Affiliate Southwest Florida MADD site","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#organization","name":"Affiliate Southwest Florida","url":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2025\/10\/MADD_SouthFlorida_LogoLockup_Blk_Red-175w.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2025\/10\/MADD_SouthFlorida_LogoLockup_Blk_Red-175w.png","width":175,"height":75,"caption":"Affiliate Southwest Florida"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/person\/6512c7f91552910fb8e22fcdbb4f902a","name":"connecticut","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/49e4b34f22afeb1ba926f1446036ab586b4e0f295c5570753c5cbd760d67a536?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/49e4b34f22afeb1ba926f1446036ab586b4e0f295c5570753c5cbd760d67a536?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"connecticut"},"url":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/author\/connecticut\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=742"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madd.org\/southwest-florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}