Speeding, tailgating, and illegal passing are all adding up to a rising number of aggressive driving-related crashes in Collier County for 2016. So the Collier County Sheriff's Office is doing something about it this week.
Deputies are conducting focused patrols on stretches of Livingston Road, as well as Vanderbilt Beach Road and Collier Boulevard in an effort to cut down on aggressive driving.
"They're speeding, they're tailgating, they're changing lanes without signaling," said Sgt. Dale Dear of the Collier County Sheriff's Office. "They're being that reckless driver on the road that everyone hates. We're trying to target those drivers."
One such driver took the life of Alfredo Hernandez, a Naples father who was riding his bike on Goodlette-Frank Road near Vanderbilt Beach Road back in January, when a careless driver hit him.
"The car didn't stop, (and) ran away," his son Jorge told Fox 4.
Alfredo later died of his injuries, and his family has no idea who the driver is. Deputies in Collier County hope to prevent that kind of tragedy in the future with the aggressive driving initiative.
"It's not uncommon to find folks driving 70-plus on Livingston Road," Dear said.
The most common excuse he hears from drivers for speeding is that the driver is late for work.
"If you take another 10 to 15 minutes and get up a little bit earlier, you might be able to curb your speeding habit," Dear said.
He said deputies prefer to give warnings and educate drivers on what they're doing wrong, but they are writing citations also. Moving violations cost drivers points on their license, not to mention upwards of $300 in fines.
"Put down the cell phone, relax, and just drive wherever you need to drive," Dear said.
