BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – On Tuesday, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey promised a traffic crackdown with an ominous message.
“This is the only warning you’re getting.”
In a news briefing posted to Facebook, Ivey said that the initiative comes after a high volume of traffic fatalities during the recent holiday season.
“Hundreds of lives have been lost on our stretch of I-95 as a result of traffic crashes,” he said. “Crashes that were caused by excessive speed, drivers under the influence, aggressive driving, distracted drivers, reckless drivers, and, at times, simple mistakes made behind the wheel.”
[WATCH: Brevard County sheriff announces new traffic initiative to stop dangerous driving]
In addition, Ivey said that the 72-mile stretch of Interstate 95 running through Brevard County is now considered one of the deadliest areas along the highway nationwide.
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As such, Ivey said that his agency will be working with the Florida Highway Patrol to catch people driving dangerously.
“Our Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Motor Unit, Florida Highway Patrol, will not only be a constant presence along I-95, but will also be writing citations for any and all violations observed,” Ivey added. “No more warnings. No more excuses.”
Some of the violations that Ivey listed on Tuesday are as follows:
- Excessive speed
- Improper lane change
- Following too closely
- Move Over violations
- Seatbelt violations
- Distracted driving
Ivey also said that anyone spotted committing criminal violations will be “taken straight to jail.”
“This is the only warning you’re getting,” Ivey stated. “And by the way, to anyone driving to our county from out of state or out of area, this warning goes for you, too.”
The sheriff said deputies and state troopers wrote 112 tickets on just the first day, overwhelmingly, most of them for speeding.
Fred Derwitsch of Viera told your Brevard County Community Correspondent James Sparvero he thinks stricter enforcement is the right thing to do.
“There’s so many accidents, and I think most of them are related to speeding,” Derwitsch said. “You see people go crazy speeds.”