DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Law enforcement agencies across the Southeast kicked off Operation Southern Slow Down Monday at Daytona International Speedway, launching a weeklong campaign aimed at reducing speed-related crashes and fatalities on Florida’s roads.
Troopers, deputies and police officers will be out in force through July 18 to deter dangerous driving behavior. The annual traffic campaign reminds drivers that roadway safety is a shared responsibility.
The coordinated campaign brings together law enforcement from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee to encourage drivers to respect speed limits and make safer choices behind the wheel.
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Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods made clear what drivers can expect.
“We are going to write your ass tickets,” Woods said.
FHP Troop D Commander Maj. Mark Castleberry said excessive speed is a problem well beyond the interstate.
“The reality of it is we see excessive speeds on the interstate, but we also see it on the local roadways, too,” Castleberry said. “Some of our worst crashes that involve speed are not on the interstates. They’re on our local roadways, with families and innocent people just trying to get home or get to the grocery store.”
Castleberry said the goal of the campaign goes beyond issuing citations.
“Any time that you have to give a message to a family that your loved one’s not coming home and they were a victim of something, that’s a difficult match to send, but it’s a difficult message to receive as a family member,” he said.
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The campaign comes just days after Florida’s Super Speeder Law marked its first year in effect. Castleberry said Central Florida troopers arrested 777 drivers for traveling 50 mph or more over the speed limit in 2025.
“So, imagine if that law wasn’t in place,” Castleberry said. “We’re very much part of that law and anything we can do to enforce that, we absolutely will.”
Drivers are encouraged to slow down, remain patient and set a positive example on the road.