Don't Toss Butts

Did you know it’s a crime to toss a lit cigarette from a car?

It is.

Offenders could be arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

Deputies are on the lookout for motorists who toss cigarettes or any other lit substances onto Collier County roadways.

It is a violation of Florida law to throw, drop, or dispose of a lighted match, cigarette, cigar, ashes, or other flaming or glowing substance onto a roadway, or any substance that could cause a wildfire.

The discarding of lit substances can cause major environmental, social and economic damages.

The loss of habitat, homes and even lives can result from discarding a lit substance onto a roadway.

So keep your butts in your car.

Keep Your Kids Safe

When it comes to vehicles, do know when your children need to be in a car seat? Do you know when they need to be in a booster seat?

Florida's laws regarding child restraint in vehicles are designed to help keep your children safe.

Click here to learn about Florida's child restraint laws.

These are the Top 10 traffic complaints called in to the ZOOM hotline from Oct. 21 to 28:

1. Yahl Street - Speeding
2. Collier Boulevard at I-75 – Red-light running
3. Forest Lakes Boulevard – Speeding
4. Goodlette-Frank and Immokalee roads - Red-light running
5. I-75 at Pine Ridge Road - Speeding
6. Immokalee Road at Gulf Coast High School – Aggressive driving
7. Vanderbilt Beach Road at U.S. 41 North – Red-light running
8. Santa Barbara and Davis boulevards – Red-light running
9. Golden Gate Parkway and Santa Barbara Boulevard - Speeding
10. U.S. 41 North at Immokalee Road - Speeding

Does Your Car Fit?

CCSO-trained specialists go through a 12-point checklist to help senior drivers make sure they are properly “fitted” for their cars and make sure they are driving safely.

To schedule a Car Fit session please call 793-9155 or e-mail us at trafficsafety@colliersheriff.net

Leading The Way

CCSO's traffic unit is on the leading edge of traffic safety.

Whether they're citing speeders or red-light runners, pulling unsafe dump trucks off the road or educating teens about the dangers of drinking and driving, deputies are earning big honors.

CCSO has won multiple awards for its work in traffic, most recently earning a first place in the Florida Department of Transportation's Law Enforcement Challenge. CCSO took top honors in that same competition in 2004 and 2006.

Traffic Enforcement Spots

Monday, Oct. 27:

Livingston and Immokalee roads – Red-light running
Collier Boulevard and Verona Court - Speeding
Golden Gate Boulevard and 5th Street Southwest – Speeding

Tuesday, Oct. 28:

Golden Gate Parkway and I-75 Exit - Speeding
Everglades Boulevard and I-75 - Speeding
Airport-Pulling Road and Estey Avenue – Red-light running

Wednesday, Oct. 29:

Collier and Forest Glen boulevards – Speeding
Immokalee Road at Twin Eagles – Aggressive driving
Lakeland Avenue and Palmetto Ridge Drive- Speeding

Thursday, Oct. 30:

Pine Ridge Road at Pine Ridge Middle School – Red-light running
Davis Boulevard and County Barn Road – Red-light running
Vanderbilt Beach Road and Island Walk Boulevard – Aggressive driving

Friday, Oct. 31:

Pine Ridge Road and Cypress Glen Way – Aggressive driving
Immokalee Road and U.S. 41 North – Red-light running
Main Street and North 9th Street – Red-light running

Don't Toss Butts

Did you know it’s a crime to toss a lit cigarette from a car?

It is.

Offenders could be arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

Deputies are on the lookout for motorists who toss cigarettes or any other lit substances onto Collier County roadways. It is a violation of Florida law to throw, drop, or dispose of a lighted match, cigarette, cigar, ashes, or other flaming or glowing substance onto a roadway, or any substance that could cause a wildfire.

The discarding of lit substances can cause major environmental, social and economic damages. The loss of habitat, homes and even lives can result from discarding a lit substance onto a roadway.

So keep your butts in your car.

Sidewalk Safety

Walking saves gas and improves your health, but pedestrians need to be vigilant in order to avoid becoming a traffic statistic.

We have advice that can keep you safe when you go for a walk.

Click here to see a CCSO video about sidewalk safety.

Keep Your Child Safe

When it comes to vehicles, do you know when your children need to be in a car seat? Do you know when they need to be in a booster seat?

Florida's laws regarding child restraint in vehicles are designed to help keep your children safe.

Click here to learn about Florida's child restraint laws.

Traffic Hot Spots

These are the Top 10 traffic complaints called in to the ZOOM hotline from Oct. 14-21:

1. Livingston and Pine Ridge roads – Speeding
2. U.S. 41 East at Collier Boulevard - Speeding
3. Ibis Cove Circle – Speeding
4. Pine Ridge Road and Forest Lakes Boulevard – Red-light running
5. Collier Boulevard at Rattlesnake-Hammock Road – Red-light running
6. Brantley Boulevard - Speeding
7. Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads – Red-light running
8. Golden Gate Parkway at Collier Boulevard – Speeding
9. Biscayne Drive – Speeding
10. Immokalee Road at I-75 – Red-light running

Red Says Stop

Red-light running is a national problem that kills and injures thousands of people each year.

Red-light running costs the public billions.

Red-light cameras are found to reduce violations, prevent crashes and save lives.

Click here to see a PowerPoint about red-light cameras.

Click here to watch a red-light running video from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute.

Is Your Car's Equipment Safe?

Are your car’s brake lights working properly?

What about turn signals and windshield wipers?

Collier County sheriff’s deputies are cracking down on vehicle equipment violations.

Checkpoints will be conducted throughout the year to raise public awareness about the dangers of driving an unsafe, ill-equipped vehicle.

Stay Focused While Driving

In most cases, the ability to multi-task is a talent to be admired.

Helping your son with his homework while you’re whipping up dinner? Good for you. Balancing your checkbook while watching the evening news? Way to go.

But make no mistake: Behind the wheel, multi-tasking can be deadly.

AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that driver distraction causes or contributes to 25 to 50 percent of all auto accidents.

Putting on makeup, glancing over a magazine article, eating, talking on the phone and other activities that take a driver’s attention off the road should be avoided. Looking away from the road for even a second or two can be disastrous.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has advice to help you stay focused when you’re behind the wheel.

* If you’re hungry or thirsty, park your car and take a break to eat or drink. You can eat in your parked car, in a restaurant or at a roadside park.

* Adjust the vehicle’s radio, temperature, rear-view mirrors and seats before you put the key in the ignition.

* Eliminate temptation by putting newspapers, magazines and day planners in the trunk until you arrive at your destination.

* Avoid complex or emotional conversations with passengers until you arrive at your destination.

* If you must use talk on the cell phone or send a text message, pull over to the side of the road to do it.

* Attend to personal grooming like combing your hair or applying makeup before you start driving.

* If children in the vehicle need to be disciplined or calmed, pull over and stop the car before doing it.

* If you drive past an accident stay focused on your driving and don’t give in to the temptation to try to see what’s going on.

Does Your Car Fit?

CCSO-trained specialists go through a 12-point checklist to help senior drivers make sure they are properly “fitted” for their cars and make sure they are driving safely.

To schedule a Car Fit session please call 793-9155 or e-mail us at trafficsafety@colliersheriff.net

Traffic Enforcement Spots

CCSO Traffic Enforcement Spots for the week of Oct. 20

Monday, Oct. 20

U.S. 41 E. and Thomasson Drive – Aggressive driving
Interstate 75 and Golden Gate Parkway - Speeding
Piper Boulevard – Speeding

Tuesday, Oct. 21

U.S. 41 N. and Old U.S. 41 - Speeding
Collier Boulevard and Pine Ridge Road – Red-light running
Livingston Road and Veterans Memorial Boulevard – Aggressive driving

Wednesday, Oct. 22

Lakewood and Davis boulevards – Red-light running
Goodlette-Frank and Vanderbilt Beach roads – Speeding
U.S. 41 E. and Bayshore Drive - Speeding

Thursday, Oct. 23

Radio Road and Santa Barbara Boulevard – Aggressive driving
Logan Boulevard South – Speeding
Immokalee Road and Palm River Boulevard – Aggressive driving

Friday, Oct. 24

White Boulevard – Aggressive driving
Collier Boulevard and Heritage Greens - Speeding
Immokalee and Airport-Pulling roads – Red-light running

Traffic Fatalities Down

Traffic fatalities have been on a steady decline in Collier County, thanks in part to CCSO's focus on education, awareness and enforcement of traffic laws.

Traffic enforcement is an agencywide effort at CCSO.

Click here to watch our video.

Red Means Stop

When the yellow lights on the school bus are flashing, that’s your sign to slow down.

When the red lights on the bus are flashing, that’s your sign to stop.

To make sure motorists heed these signs, throughout the school year, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office will be cracking down on motorists that pass school buses that are stopped to load or unload children.

Deputies handed out nearly two dozen citations to motorists for passing stopped school buses and speeding near bus stops during a crackdown earlier this year.

Steer Clear Of Aggressive Drivers

Aggressive drivers make roads unsafe for everyone, particularly in places like Southwest Florida where traffic can get heavy.

That’s why motorists should be aware of how they can spot aggressive drivers and know what to do when they encounter them.

Click here to see the CCSO’s tip sheet on coping with aggressive drivers.

Don't Toss Butts

Did you know it’s a crime to toss a lit cigarette from a car?

It is.

Offenders could be arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

Deputies are on the lookout for motorists who toss cigarettes or any other lit substances onto Collier County roadways. It is a violation of Florida law to throw, drop, or dispose of a lighted match, cigarette, cigar, ashes, or other flaming or glowing substance onto a roadway, or any substance that could cause a wildfire.

The discarding of lit substances can cause major environmental, social and economic damages. The loss of habitat, homes and even lives can result from discarding a lit substance onto a roadway.

So keep your butts in your car.

Traffic Hot Spots

1. Night Hawk Drive - Speeding
2. Airport Road at Davis Boulevard – Aggressive driving
3. Pine Ridge Road at I-75 – Speeding
4. Collier Boulevard at Immokalee Road – Speeding
5. Vanderbilt Beach Road at U.S. 41 North – Red-light running
6. Livingston and Immokalee roads – Speeding
7. Immokalee Road at Wilson Boulevard – Speeding
8. Rattlesnake Hammock and County Barn roads – Aggressive driving
9. Santa Barbara Boulevard at Radio Road – Aggressive driving
10. Immokalee Road at U.S. 41 North – Red-light running

Red Means Stop

Red-light running is a national problem that kills and injures thousands of people each year. Red-light running costs the public billions.Red-light cameras are found to reduce violations, prevent crashes and save lives.

Click here to see a PowerPoint about red-light cameras.

Click here to watch a red-light running video from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute.

On The Leading Edge

CCSO's traffic unit is on the leading edge of traffic safety.

Whether they're citing speeders or red-light runners, pulling unsafe dump trucks off the road or educating teens about the dangers of drinking and driving, deputies are earning big honors.

CCSO has won multiple awards for its work in traffic, most recently earning a first place in the Florida Department of Transportation's Law Enforcement Challenge. CCSO took top honors in that same competition in 2004 and 2006.

Steer Clear Of Aggressive Drivers

Aggressive drivers make roads unsafe for everyone, particularly in places like Southwest Florida where traffic can get heavy.

That’s why motorists should be aware of how they can spot aggressive drivers and know what to do when they encounter them.

Click here to see the CCSO’s tip sheet on coping with aggressive drivers.

Traffic Enforcement Spots

These are the traffic enforcement spots for the week of Oct. 13:

Monday, Oct. 13:

Golden Gate Parkway and Livingston Road – Aggressive driving
Immokalee Road and I-75 – Red-light running
St. Andrews Boulevard - speeding

Tuesday, Oct. 14:

Pine Ridge Road at Pine Ridge Middle School – Aggressive driving
Immokalee Road and Palm River Boulevard - Speeding
U.S. 41 and Rattlesnake Hammock Road - Speeding

Wednesday, Oct. 15:

Oakes Boulevard – Speeding
Collier and Naples Heritage boulevards - Speeding
Estey Avenue – Aggressive driving

Thursday, Oct. 16:

Livingston Road and Carlton Lakes Boulevard - Speeding
Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads – Red-light running
Jung Boulevard East - Speeding

Friday, Oct. 17:

Airport-Pulling Road at Pelican Marsh Elementary – Aggressive driving
Collier and Fiddlers Creek boulevards – Speeding
Radio Road and Davis Boulevard – Red-light running

Rainy Day Driving

The summer rainy season is here.

Rain is blamed for many traffic accidents each year but most are preventable if drivers know what to do.

That’s why CCSO has put together a list of tips to help keep you safe on the road when it’s raining.

Click here to watch a video about our wet weather driving tips.

Photo by Natalie Felber

Is Your Car's Equipment Safe?

Are your car’s brake lights working properly?

What about turn signals and windshield wipers?

Collier County sheriff’s deputies are cracking down on vehicle equipment violations.

Checkpoints will be conducted throughout the year to raise public awareness about the dangers of driving an unsafe, ill-equipped vehicle.

Does Your Car Fit?

CCSO-trained specialists go through a 12-point checklist to help senior drivers make sure they are properly “fitted” for their cars and make sure they are driving safely.

To schedule a Car Fit session please call 793-9155 or e-mail us at trafficsafety@colliersheriff.net

Traffic Hot Spots

These are the Top 10 traffic complaints called in to the ZOOM hotline from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7:

1. 55th Terrace S.W. - Speeding
2. White Lake Boulevard – Aggressive driving
3. Crown Point Boulevard at Immokalee Road – Aggressive driving
4. Vanderbilt Beach Road at U.S. 41 N. – Red-light running
5. Airport and Immokalee Roads – Aggressive driving
6. Radio Road - Speeding
7. Rattlesnake Hammock Road and U.S. 41 East - Red-light running
8. 13th Street S.W. and Golden Gate Parkway - Speeding
9. Goodlette-Frank and Vanderbilt Beach roads – Red-light running
10. Biscayne Drive – Speeding

Steer Clear Of Aggressive Drivers

Aggressive drivers make roads unsafe for everyone, particularly in places like Southwest Florida where traffic can get heavy.

That’s why motorists should be aware of how they can spot aggressive drivers and know what to do when they encounter them.

Click here to see the CCSO’s tip sheet on coping with aggressive drivers.

On The Leading Edge

CCSO's traffic unit is on the leading edge of traffic safety.

Whether they're citing speeders or red-light runners, pulling unsafe dump trucks off the road or educating teens about the dangers of drinking and driving, deputies are earning big honors.

CCSO has won multiple awards for its work in traffic, most recently earning a first place in the Florida Department of Transportation's Law Enforcement Challenge. CCSO took top honors in that same competition in 2004 and 2006.

Sidewalk Safety

Walking saves gas and improves your health, but pedestrians need to be vigilant in order to avoid becoming a traffic statistic.

We have advice that can keep you safe when you go for a walk.

Click here to see a CCSO video about pedestrian safety.

Don't Toss Butts

Did you know that it’s a crime to toss a lit cigarette from a car?

It is.

Offenders could be arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

Deputies are on the lookout for motorists who toss cigarettes or any other lit substances onto Collier County roadways.

It is a violation of Florida law to throw, drop, or dispose of a lighted match, cigarette, cigar, ashes, or other flaming or glowing substance onto a roadway, or any substance that could cause a wildfire.

The discarding of lit substances can cause major environmental, social and economic damages. The loss of habitat, homes and even lives can result from discarding a lit substance onto a roadway.

Red Means Stop

When the yellow lights on the school bus are flashing, that’s your sign to slow down.

When the red lights on the bus are flashing, that’s your sign to stop.

To make sure motorists heed these signs, throughout the school year, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office will be cracking down on motorists that pass school buses that are stopped to load or unload children.

Traffic Enforcement Spots

CCSO Traffic Enforcement Spots for Oct. 6:

Oct. 6:

Golden Gate Parkway and Livingston Road – Aggressive driving
Immokalee Road and I-75 – Red-light running
Pine Ridge Road and Logan Boulevard – Red-light running

Oct. 7:

Golden Gate Parkway at 68th Street S.W. - Speeding
Immokalee Road and Palm River Boulevard – Speeding
U.S. 41 and Rattlesnake Hammock Road - Speeding

Oct. 8:

Wilson and Golden Gate boulevards – Aggressive driving
Collier and Naples Heritage boulevards - Speeding
Estey Avenue – Aggressive driving

Oct. 9:

Livingston Road and Carlton Lakes Boulevard - Speeding
Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads – Red-light running
U.S. 41 North at Audubon Trail - Speeding

Oct. 10:

Immokalee Road at 39th Avenue N.E. - Speeding
Collier and Fiddlers Creek boulevards – Speeding
Radio Road and Davis Boulevard – Red-light running

Does Your Car Fit?

CCSO-trained specialists go through a 12-point checklist to help senior drivers make sure they are properly “fitted” for their cars and make sure they are driving safely.

To schedule a Car Fit session please call 793-9155, or e-mail us at trafficsafety@colliersheriff.net

Traffic Fatalities Down

Traffic fatalities have been on a steady decline in Collier County, thanks in part to CCSO's focus on education, awareness and enforcement of traffic laws.

Traffic enforcement is an agencywide effort at CCSO.

Click here to watch our video.