Are you misbehaving behind the wheel? Police in Florida have a message about that

A new safety campaign in Florida is aiming to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Florida roads by cracking down on speeding and aggressive driving.

The Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Transportation are working to put an end to bad behavior behind the wheel with “Target Zero.”

“The campaign is launching to reduce fatalities, especially in those areas of construction zones. We’ve had a high rise in the number of fatalities,” said FHP Lt. Indiana Miranda.

Bringing the number of fatalities on Florida roadways to zero will be no easy task, especially with an increase in population and a lot of construction.

“We’ve seen a big rise in fatalities since after the pandemic since we have more people on the road,” Miranda said.

According to FDOT, the number of crashes increased by more than 19 percent from 2020 to 202, and there was neasrly a 14 percent increase in fatal wrecks.

FDOT said this campaign is different because police are focusing on behavior. They are targeting drivers through social media, even offering QR codes with calming playlists and ideas to thrill-seek, all to slow down drivers.

“It’s OK to be there early, it’s OK to be there late, just get there and be safe. Arrive alive,” Lt. Miranda said.

This report is from Miami Herald partner CBS Miami.