Walton County Sheriff's Office Joins Operation Southern Slow Down Enforcement Campaign
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office joined Florida Highway Patrol and multiple Panhandle law enforcement agencies on July 13 to launch Operation Southern Slow Down, a week-long enforcement campaign targeting speeding and aggressive driving on Florida roadways.
The operation, running July 13 through July 18, deploys additional troopers and deputies to major highways across the Florida Panhandle, including Highway 98, State Road 79, and Highway 231. The multi-agency effort pairs FHP with local sheriff’s offices and police departments, including the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and Panama City Police Department.
“We have a lot of traffic that comes in to visit our area because our area is a visitor destination,” said Chief Deputy Dustin Cosson of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, speaking at a press conference announcing the campaign. The tourism-driven traffic volume on Walton County roads — including the Highway 20 and US 331 corridors that connect Freeport to the coast and to I-10 — makes the enforcement effort directly relevant to Freeport commuters.
According to FHP, Florida recorded more than 21,000 speeding-related crashes last year, 394 of them fatal. Speeding accounts for roughly 10% of all fatal crashes statewide. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is considered the 100 deadliest days of summer, during which fatal teen crashes increase.
Major Warren Fast, Troop Commander for FHP, emphasized that speed is one of the most frequent contributing causes to crashes. He warned that distractions, DUI, and failure to wear a seatbelt compound the risk. “The moments you’ll save by speeding don’t make up for the lives you put in danger,” said Fort Walton Beach Chief of Police Robert Bage.
Law enforcement agencies in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee are also participating in the regional enforcement effort. Drivers in the Panhandle should expect increased patrols and a visible law enforcement presence on major highways throughout the week.
Originally reported by WJHG Newschannel 7 and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
Image: WJHG Newschannel 7
