Drunk, drugged, drowsy or distracted? Stay off Lee County roads, authorities say

Authorities are reminding motorists of a growing epidemic a year after Lee County crashes saw their highest death toll in more than 10 years.

Members of the Florida Highway Patrol, Fort Myers Police and Cape Coral Police were among the agencies in attendance shining light on the impact of drinking, drugs, distracted and drowsy driving.

Nationwide, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs continues to be the most often committed and deadliest crime, authorities reiterated.

"Distracted driving, which has become an epidemic that threatens the safety and wellbeing of all road users," Fort Myers Police Chief Jason Fields said. "With the ever increasing presence of smartphones, or other electronic devices, the temptation to divert our attention from the road has become almost irresistible."

Fields said these crashes are preventable.

In perspective: Deaths on Lee, Collier roads last year near historic highs, troopers call for caution

"We must act collectively as a community to raise awareness and change our behavior behind the wheel," Fields said.

Lt. Greg Bueno, spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol, said drowsy driving is the often-forgotten "D."

"Yet it is just as dangerous as someone driving drunk," Bueno said. "It is just as dangerous as someone driving distracted. And it is certainly just as dangerous as someone driving drugged."

Bueno said drowsy driving slows down one's thought process and the reaction time. He added the lack of quantity or quality sleep are leading factors.

As opposed to turning up the radio or getting a cup of coffee, Bueno recommended, motorists traveling lengthy distances should take breaks every 100 miles or two hours.

"As troopers we respond to tragedies each and every day," Bueno said. "Unfortunately, one poor decision can result in a tragedy ... having to tell a parent, a husband or a wife, that their precious gift, their loved one, is not coming home, is certainly heartbreaking."

Bueno urged the gift of safety this year.

"It's a gift to yourself. It's a gift to your family. It's a gift to all of our families because all of our families are using the very same roads," Bueno said.

Bueno said "it's always good to end with a good advice quote, especially from the jolly good old fellow himself."

"He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake," Bueno said. "He knows whether you've been bad or good. So be sober. Put your phones down and stay awake. For goodness sake."

Cape Coral Police Sgt. Alisha Cody, who's assigned to the Special Operations Bureau where she leads the traffic homicide unit, said drug-impaired driving has a "tremendous" impact on road safety for the community and traffic crashes.

Cody said 55.8% of drivers involved in a serious-injury or fatal crashes tested positive for at least one drug and 13,384 deaths nationwide were due to impaired driving crashes in 2021.

"Driving while impaired by any substance, whether it is legal or illegal, places you and others in danger," Cody said. "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminds us that if you feel different, you drive different and if you drive high, you get a DUI."

Dr. Joseph Lewis, who works at the Lee Health trauma center, said that in 2021, out of 43,000 road fatalities nationwide, 13,000 fatalities involved at least one driver that was impaired with alcohol, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2021, Lewis said, Florida saw 3,554 fatal crashes of which 407 reported alcohol was involved.

"Friends don't let friends drive drunk," Lewis said. "Let's keep each other alive for next year."

Lewis said speed kills for every 10 mph increase.

He said that in 2022 Lee County ranked 23rd for most dangerous metropolitan areas in the nation.

In 2022, Lewis said, Lee County reported 15,292 crashes with 137 deaths. As of Nov. 25, Lee County reports 103 fatalities on its roadways stemming from 13,778 crashes.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Authorities warn of distracted, impaired driving in Lee County