Students have returned to school in the tri-county area.  Your child’s safety is our number one priority. Please take a few moments to review back-to-school safety with your child.

Walking To School

If your child walks to school, make sure there are sidewalks along the way.  If you are not able to walk with your child, remember there is safety in numbers so have your child walk with siblings or other neighborhood children.  Being hit by a car is by far the greatest threat to any child walking to school.  Make sure your kids stay on the sidewalk and only cross at crosswalks.  Remember to remind your children to never, ever stop to talk to strangers on the way to and from school and, most importantly, never to get into any vehicle with a stranger.  These could potentially be life threatening situations.

Bicycle Safety

Children peddling to school on bicycles must wear bike helmets – it’s the law.  Helmets are the single most effective devices for cyclists, greatly reducing the risk of death or critical injury.  Your children should ride their bicycles on the right side of the road and obey stop signs and traffic signals. Continue reading →

Carbon Monoxide Safety- Keys to prevent a hazardous condition

Carbon Monoxide is called the invisible killer.  It is a colorless and odorless gas often striking victims catching them off guard or while sleeping.  It is poisonous and can cause headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness.  In severe cases, exposure to this gas can cause neurological damage, mental confusion, vomiting, loss of muscular coordination, loss of consciousness, and death. Continue reading →

It only takes a minute.  You look away, you may not hear the splash and your child is nowhere in sight.  Drowning – the harsh reality of losing a child in less than one minute.  Drowning is swift and silent.

According to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), there are approximately 4000 drowning deaths a year in the United States.  The Lady Lake Police Department is committed to educating parents and caregivers about taking precautions to help end these preventable tragedies.

Florida loses more children under age five to drowning than any other state.  Annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown and do not live to see their fifth birthday (Floridahealth.gov.)

Living in Central Florida, we are surrounded by water.  Although children may know how to swim, if left unsupervised, they can drown in less than two inches of water.  When participating in outdoor water activities, I encourage you to follow these safety-conscious behaviors: Continue reading →

Hurricane Season is upon us in Florida. The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, 2022. The NOAA forecasters predict a 65% chance of an above-normal season. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Atlantic hurricane season forecast calls for 14 to 21 named storms, with six to 10 becoming hurricanes. The time to prepare for the hurricane season is when you have time and are not under pressure. The Lady Lake Police Department would like to encourage all residents to begin preparations for this anticipated busy hurricane season now, before the season gets into full swing. Some things to consider during your preparations should include, Continue reading →

With summer upon us, it is important to prepare for the heat that Florida sun provides to us.  The state of Florida has the second highest total number of heat related vehicle deaths of children with 99 based on statistics from 1998-2021.  More than half of vehicular heatstroke cases were because an adult forgot about a child, according to NoHeatstroke.org.  Additionally, every year pets suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them unattended in a parked vehicle to “run in for just a minute” at the local store.  The Lady Lake Police Department is committed to informing and educating parents and pet owners on the dangers of leaving children and pets unattended in a vehicle and taking precautions to help prevent these tragic situations.

Leaving a child or a pet in a hot car even for a short period of time can be dangerous, even if parked in a shade or with the windows cracked.  A vehicle’s glass transparency allows for the sun’s rays to heat up the inside essentially creating a vacuum of heat.  Within minutes a car that was just being cooled can experience a spike in temperature.  On a sunny day, when temperatures are 80 degrees outside, the inside temperature of a vehicle can rise to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and soar up to 114 degrees in 30 minutes.  At 90 degrees outside, the inside temperature of a vehicle can rise to 109 degrees in 10 minutes and soar up to 124 degrees in 30 minutes. Continue reading →

A work zone involves workers, vehicles, trucks, and equipment that can necessitate lane closures, detours, and moving equipment, and can last from a few days to several years.  While work zone fatalities make up approximately three percent of overall fatalities and two percent of serious injuries, the safe and efficient flow of traffic through work zones is an ongoing priority for Florida’s transportation and traffic safety partners.  The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) reminds you to do your job when it comes to Work Zone Safety.

BE ALERT – Expect anything to occur when entering a work zone.

DON’T TAILGATE – Unexpected stops frequently occur in work zones.

DON’T SPEED IN THE WORK ZONE – Note the posted speed limits in and around the work zone.

DON’T CHANGE LANES IN THE WORK ZONE – Any time saved just isn’t worth the risk.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED – Keep an eye out for workers and equipment.

MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS – Avoid changing radio stations and using cell phones while driving in the work zone. Continue reading →

As peak tax season approaches, be aware of any suspicious activity using your personal information.  The IRS has reported incidents of tax fraud from victims.  There are victims reporting that they are attempting to file their taxes and are being rejected as their social security number has already been used by someone to do so.  With on-line methods for banking, shopping, and also a means of bill payment being more popular, it is important to safeguard your personal information.  It’s a good idea to purchase a cross cutting shredder and shred all documents that you no longer need prior to discarding them.

If you are a victim of tax fraud, you will need to file a police report with your local law enforcement agency and then with the IRS providing them with your case number.  The IRS will investigate the fraudulent activity.  It is a good idea to check your credit history periodically through Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion to ensure that you are not an unsuspecting victim. Continue reading →

Lady Lake Police Department

Robert Tempesta, Chief of Police

Stay Alert-Be patient-Stay Alive: Adhere to New Traffic Signage and New Traffic Patterns on U.S. 27/441

As road construction continues along U.S. Hwy 27/441, the Lady Lake Police Department would like to remind all motorists to be aware of the changing traffic patterns.  There will be more pattern changes as the widening project continues so it important that all motorists pay attention when traveling through the construction zone.  A traffic pattern can be as simple as a shift in a lane that you are traveling on or a detour onto a new roadway like in recent months.

Most local motorists are already aware of the new traffic pattern on U.S. Hwy 27/441 near Fennell Blvd.  This pattern will prevent southbound motorists from accessing the bridge.  Southbound motorists will need to travel to the right of the bridge on a newly constructed roadway.  The southbound side of the bridge is in the process of being removed. Continue reading →

With the Holidays coming to an end and the New Year beginning, it is important to remain aware of where your personal information may have ended up, especially if you shop, pay bills or conduct other on-line transactions.  Identity theft is a topic that is critical because once you become victimized, it is difficult to clear your name and credit if it becomes compromised.  Perpetrators will steal data such as social security numbers, date of birth, addresses, and bank account information.  If your information is stolen, you may receive correspondence from companies or creditors for debt you weren’t aware of.

Credit card fraud and other financial scams are one of the most reported uses for identity theft.  Some criminals steal credit card information only to make immediate purchases before the card is reported stolen.  One of the bigger problems a victim may face is if other accounts are opened under their name.  They may see bank or credit card transactions against their account that they did not make.  A victim may also see outstanding debt from different accounts that will be in their name and will be their responsibility to pay or start the process of claiming identity theft.  The process of clearing your name and credit can be costly and take an emotional toll on the victim.  Continue reading →

Driver Awareness Tips

The holidays are a great time for family and friends to create many memories together.  Safety when you leave the house and travel is an obvious concern but please remember, safety begins with you.  Every holiday season, from November 1 through December 31, MADD asks you to display a MADD ribbon in a visible location to remind everyone to always designate a non-drinking driver.  That message is especially important when holiday travel, parties and family gatherings put more people on the roads.  https://www.madd.org/the-solution/drunk-driving/tie-one-on-for-safety

Follow these tips to help ensure we all Arrive Alive this holiday season:

Never drive impaired.  Celebrate responsibly and do not get behind the wheel if you have been drinking or have taken prescribed drugs that cause impairment.  Plan ahead and find a safe way home every time – designate a driver or use a ride service. Continue reading →