Impaired Driving
Young Victims Killed in DUI Crashes
Eric Smallridge is serving an 11 year prison sentence for the DUI crash he caused that killed Meagan Napier and Lisa Dickson. Eric wrote an open letter to teens about the consequences of his bad decision to drink and drive. Renee Napier, Meagan Napier's mother, is available to make DUI prevention presentations in the Tampa bay area. Contact her at rnapier58@aol.com
Pinellas County resident 19 year old John Templeton was convicted of the DUI manslaughter of 18 year old Julie Buchner in 2002. In November 2002, John went to a bar in Ybor City and had 10 or more drinks, then drove his car the wrong way down I 275. He crashed head on into Julie Buchner. The first thing John remembered after leaving Club Hedo was waking up handcuffed to a hospital bed with a police officer standing over him. John served prison time, is on house arrest and has a permanent revocation of his driver's license. John does presentations in school and colleges as community service to help prevent underage drinking and DUI. Tampa Tribune story of John Templeton and Julie Buchner.
Pinellas County resident Jessica Rasdall went out with her friend Laura Gorman to a club in Ybor City in February 2006. Both were 18 years old. They drank alcoholic beverages in the Club Skye, then Jessica drove back to Pinellas county. She crashed the car, injuring herself and killing her friend Laura. Jessica was charged with DUI manslaughter and will be sentenced in December 2007. Jessica gives presentations to high school and college students to help keep young people from making bad decisions that could result in injury or death.
Agencies all working together to reduce alcohol related crashes
Tampa Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Temple Terrace Police Department, Plant City Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol, USF Police Department, DUI Counterattack, Hillsborough County MADD volunteers, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, The State Attorney's Office, Tampa Crossroads treatment agency, the Community Traffic Safety Team, Tampa Alcohol Coalition, SADD, DUI Awareness Initiative, Hillsborough County Anti Drug Alliance are all dedicated to reducing impaired driving consequences. TAC has formed a DUI Crash Prevention Committee which meets bimonthly. The goal of this committee is to reduce alcohol related crashes in the 18 to 27 age group.
2011 Hillsborough County Traffic Crash Statistics (ref: Florida DHSMV)
- 1,424 Alcohol-Related Crashes
- 67 Alcohol-Related Fatalities
Hillsborough County was #1 in Alcohol Fatalities in Florida. Hillsborough County is also the state leader in DUI arrests because of intense law enforcement efforts to keep impaired drivers off the roads. In 2012, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Central Breath Testing reported 4,030 arrests. Don't Drink and Drive in Hillsborough County...unless you want to be taken in handcuffs to the County Jail.
Local DUI Resources and Links
Hillsborough County MADD- call 985-0378
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office 3 D DUI Squad
Tampa Police Department DUI Squad
Pepin Distributing Alert Cab, Designated Driver, TIPS training
AAA Tow to Go- call during the Holiday Season: 1-800-AAA-HELP
DUI Presentations
2007 TAC Presentation for the State Community Traffic Safety Team meeting (PPT)
2006 Hillsborough County DUI Facts PowerPoint
2006 DUI Initiative: Alcohol Policy Project PowerPoint
2006 DUI Initiative: Alcohol Policy Project Research Paper
2006 Tampa Crossroads TRIAD DUI Program PowerPoint
IACP Impaired Driving Guidebook
2006 Impaired Driving Guidebook by the IACP Highway Safety Committee Impaired Driving Subcommittee provides recommendations to substantially reduce impaired driving traffic fatalities and injuries.
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Join the National Fight Against Impaired Driving
Despite the tireless efforts of thousands of advocates, impaired drivers continue to kill someone every 30 minutes, nearly 50 people a day, and almost 18,000 citizens a year. NHTSA and its partners are working together to put a stop to these deadly statistics.
Learn how you can help stop impaired driving
A DUI can be very expensive... The $9,000 Drink
Do you drink too much? Find out by taking this quiz. Click on "Is my drinking risky?"
Tampa Alcohol Coalition is a subcommittee of the Hillsborough County Anti Drug Alliance.
Do you have questions about Tampa Alcohol Coalition or comments on this web site? Contact er.snelling@verizon.net