House Bill 9403

    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9403

        By Representative Turnbull






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution emphasizing safe driving awareness

  3         and designating weeks before certain holidays

  4         as "Safe Driver Awareness Week" in Florida.

  5

  6         WHEREAS, driver fatigue contributes significantly to

  7  traffic accidents that result in death and serious injury to

  8  Florida motorists and pedestrians, and

  9         WHEREAS, the National Highway Traffic Safety

10  Administration reports that driver fatigue is responsible for

11  over 100,000 crashes per year which kill 1,500 people

12  nationwide, injure 71,000, and cause a great number of motor

13  vehicle fatalities in Florida, and

14         WHEREAS, drivers must perform a series of coordinated

15  tasks using their hands, feet, eyes, ears, and body movement

16  to drive safely and defensively, and effective performance of

17  such tasks may be affected by fatigue, and

18         WHEREAS, driver fatigue and impairment are often caused

19  by excessive driving and the forgoing of necessary sleep in

20  order to make unreasonable deadlines and schedules and often

21  may be caused or worsened by the use of substances other than

22  alcohol, which may include herbal remedies, "designer drugs,"

23  and sedating medications, both prescription and those sold

24  over the counter, and

25         WHEREAS, Citizens Against Drug Impaired Drivers reports

26  that of the approximately 43,000 annual motor fatalities in

27  the United States, 10,000 to 15,000 involve substances other

28  than alcohol, and

29         WHEREAS, the law enforcement community of Florida is

30  united in its opposition to drivers' use of any substance to

31  the extent that it might impair driving performance, and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9403

    558-141-98






  1         WHEREAS, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor

  2  Vehicles has been vigilant in its efforts to keep the motoring

  3  public informed of the dangers of driving impaired as a result

  4  of excessive fatigue or central nervous system impairing

  5  substances other than alcohol, and should be commended for its

  6  efforts, and

  7         WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper, in the interest of

  8  public safety, to periodically call special attention to the

  9  drivers of Florida to the dangers of driving while fatigued,

10  sedated, or otherwise impaired and the potential of various

11  substances other than alcohol, when consumed prior to driving

12  a motor vehicle, to impair the driver's ability to safely

13  maneuver a motor vehicle, NOW, THEREFORE,

14

15  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

16  Florida:

17

18         That the week immediately preceding the holidays of

19  Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving and the New Year's

20  holiday is hereby declared "Safe Driver Awareness Week" in the

21  State of Florida, and the House of Representatives urges that

22  all necessary actions be taken by the appropriate state

23  agencies to publicize these special weeks and, within the

24  limitations of their existing resources, inform and educate

25  the public throughout the year as to the dangers of driving

26  while fatigued or under the influence of any substance,

27  whether alcoholic or nonalcoholic.

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