Safety tips offered for holiday travel
With the annual Memorial Day Parade scheduled at 10 a.m. in downtown Sarasota on Monday, May 27, several tow-away zones and street closure notices will be in place for the following times that day, the Sarasota Police Department has announced:
- 9 a.m. to noon — Gulfstream Avenue will be closed between Cocoanut Avenue and McAnsh Square.
- 9 a.m. to noon — Main Street will be closed from U.S. 301 to Gulfstream Avenue.
- 9 a.m. to noon — Links Avenue will be closed from First Street to Ringling Boulevard.
- 9 a.m. to noon — Osprey Avenue will be closed from Second Street to Ringling Boulevard.
Vehicles not removed by the posted time will be towed at the owner’s expense, a Police Department news release stresses.
For information on towed vehicles, the department suggests the public contact Upman’s Towing at 941-365-7084.
Additionally, officers are encouraging drivers to travel safely over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, which will begin on Friday, May 24.
“According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10,076 people who were killed in passenger vehicle crashes in 2017 weren’t buckled up,” the release continues. “The Sarasota Police Department is reminding all drivers to slow down [and] buckle up,” the release says.
In Florida, each motorist is required to wear a seat belt when riding in the front seat, and passengers under the age of 18 must use proper seat restraints, the release points out.
Sarasota Police officers also provided the following safety tips:
- “Reduce your speed.” More speeding-related fatalities happen during the summer months than at any other time of the year.
- “Refrain from using cell phones or devices when driving.
- “Designate a sober driver or take alternate transportation if you consume alcohol.
- “Drive defensively and exercise caution, especially during bad weather.”