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for immediate release
August 28, 2003

N E W S R E L E A S E

Safety on the roads will be a major priority for the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office during the Labor Day Holiday Weekend. The Sheriff's Traffic Safety and Enforcement Unit will concentrate its efforts on the heavily traveled corridors of US Highways 98 and 85, and all available Deputies will be actively enforcing traffic safety laws throughout Okaloosa County.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Charlie Morris offers some holiday weekend advice:

Beware of fatigue. Tired drivers can be as dangerous as drunk drivers. Don't over-schedule your holiday; allow sufficient time for rest.
Allow extra driving time.
Be sure the driver and all passengers are properly restrained. Florida Law requires a car safety seat for children under the age of four.
If your car is involved in a crash, do not wait for the police to arrive before moving it; you are required to move it out of the roadway, if possible.
Do not enter an intersection if traffic is backed up. If you cannot continue all the way through the intersection, Florida law requires you to stop before entering... regardless of any traffic signal.
Be sure to use low-beam headlights during rain or other conditions of reduced visibility.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office is an active participant in the "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" traffic safety initiative. Citizens should report apparent impaired, reckless, or dangerous drivers immediately by dialing *DUI, *SO or 9-1-1 from a cellular phone.

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for more information contact Rick Hord, Public Information Officer

(850) 651-7420

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