What causes most accidents on Pinellas County roads? Most of the time Florida Highway Patrol troopers encounter drivers that are driving too fast not wearing their seat belts which causes injuries when they're involved in a crash. We also see a lot of drivers that are following too closely or out driving in other aggressive manners in which they're cutting people off multiple lane changes. Things of that nature are what we typically see or a causation for many of the crashes that we investigate. What is distracted driving? Distracted driving is any type of behavior that takes the attention of the driver off the roadway. Anything whether it be eating and driving, grooming and driving, dealing with other passengers and typically what we've seen the news nowadays is cell phones texting and driving. Being on the cell phone talking and becoming distracted because you're involved in a conversation. So anything that takes your mind, your hands, your eyes off the road, the task of hand which is the driving, that is what we consider distractions. What documents must drivers always have with them? Documents required for operators with motor vehicles in the state of Florida include a valid Florida driver's license, proof of insurance for the vehicle, for the operator and as well as a vehicle's registration to accompany the license plate assigned to that vehicle. What is DUI? DUI is driving under the influence. Driving under the influence can include influence of the alcoholic beverages that a person consumes, illicit drugs such as marijuana cocaine or prescription drugs. Anything that changes the driver's normal faculties, normal functioning, that's what we would consider driving under the influence. Anything that would take away from the person's ability to do multiple tasks at one time which includes driving a motor vehicle. What must I do if I'm stopped by police while I'm driving? If you encounter a situation in which law enforcement performs a traffic stop on you for whatever violation, be courteous to the officer. The courtesy helps the officer deal with you and explain things to you more efficiently. Make sure that you have the items that are required by a driver in Florida which include drivers license, insurance, registration for the vehicle. Provide that information immediately to the officer upon request. Make sure that you don't do any further type movements, quick movements. Make your hands visible so the officer can see what is inside the car and make sure that the officer is not feeling that there's a threat possible. The interaction will be concluded when the officer has issued his, whether it be a warning of citation, whatever the officer decides to do with that. What must I do if I get a traffic ticket? Three options that are available for any citation that's issued. You may pay it. You may go to the court and contest it or you can pay it and go to the Florida driver improvement schools. Those will keep points off your driver's record. Those three options are afforded to you for any citation that's a non-criminal citation and any other questions can be directed to the clerk of court for whichever kind of the violation occurs in. When can police arrest a driver? An arrest for a traffic offense or any other offense occurs when the officer has probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. If you're breaking a criminal citation statute, a criminal violation versus a non-criminal offense, such as speeding as a non-criminal offense in Florida. However, driving under the influence of any type of substance like alcohol or drugs, that's a criminal violation. The officer would then be required to make an arrest, typically a physical arrest and deliver the person to the sheriff's office jail. What other advice do you have for drivers? The best advice I can give to any driver when they hit Florida's roadways, whether it be in Penelope County or beyond, is buckle up. That's the number one thing you can do is put your seatbelt on to make yourself safer when you get inside the vehicle. Don't mix alcohol and motor vehicles. No drink and drive them. Don't drive aggressively. Reduce your speeds. Increase your following distances to other vehicles and don't drive distracted. Put the cell phones and the other type of distractions down so you can really focus on what you're doing.