Safety tips offered for the holiday weekend
In preparation for the 2018 Memorial Day Parade — which will be held May 28 on Main Street in downtown Sarasota — the Sarasota Police Department has announced several tow-away zones and street closure notices:
- From 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Gulfstream Avenue will be closed from Cocoanut Avenue to McAnsh Square.
- From 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Main Street will be closed from U.S. 301 to Gulfstream Avenue,
- From 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Links Avenue will be closed from First Street to Ringling Boulevard.
- From 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Osprey Avenue will be closed from First Street to Ringling Boulevard.
Vehicles not removed by the posted times will be towed at the owners’ expense, the Police Department has stressed. For information on towed vehicles, a person may contact Upman’s Towing at 941-365-7084, a news release says.
The Memorial Day holiday will be observed beginning on Friday, May 25, the release points out. “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (48%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained,” the release adds. “The Sarasota Police Department is reminding all drivers to slow down, buckle up and drive safely.”
In Florida, all motorists are required to wear a seat belt when riding in the front seat, the release notes, and passengers under the age of 18 must use proper seat restraints. When traveling, the public should keep in mind the following safety tips, Sarasota police officers say:
- 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 other mobile devices when driving.
- Designate a sober driver or take alternate transportation if you consume alcohol.
- Drive defensively and exercise caution, especially during bad weather.