PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Traffic, speeding, and crashes: if you've driven U.S. 19, you know just how bad it can get. On Wednesday, multiple law enforcement agencies cracked down on the bad driving, initiating a total of 811 stops.
Up and down U.S. 19 across four counties, drivers saw and sometimes were stopped by blue lights.
Stacey Wolfenden drives U.S. 19 every day to work and noticed the heavy law enforcement presence.
“There was at least three within three miles just sitting there on the road, and then you go up, and there's two more sitting there,” said Wolfenden.
It's part of a multi-agency operation, including the Pinellas Sheriff's Office, St. Pete Police, Florida Highway Patrol, and more. The enforcement stretched on U.S. 19 all the way from the Skyway Bridge to the Levy County line.
"Highway 19 is identified as one of those highways that we just have a lot of fatalities,” said Sgt. Steve Gaskins with Florida Highway Patrol. “There's a lot crashes, a lot of fatalities. On my way here this morning, there was a five-car pileup on U.S. 19 in the Palm Harbor area."
ABC Action News has shared stories time and again about road rage incidents and speeding on that highway. One study even called U.S. 19 one of the most dangerous roads in Florida.
The mission Wednesday was to crack down on problems like aggressive driving, speeding, and crashes. The agencies hope people remember to play it safe behind the wheel— not just on one day, but every day.
"No one likes to get a ticket. I get that,” said Gaskins. “But you've got to do the right thing: drive within the speed limit, buckle up, put the phones down, pay attention to what you're doing, so that everybody can get from point A to point B safely."
"People cut you off, the truck doesn't stop as fast, but I just make sure I'm paying attention to other drivers just as much as myself,” said Shane Jones.
Jones notices the problem on his daily drive down 19, too. His words of wisdom are simple.
"Slow it down, pay attention, and just drive safe,” said Jones.
The operation ran from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. During that time, law enforcement issued 520 citations and arrests, 353 warnings, 3 DUIs and 10 drug arrests.
Their numbers also included 242 speeding citations, 59 move over violations and 12 driving while suspended or no driver's license violations.
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