The Lady Lake Police Department encourages drivers to be safe, follow the rules of the road, and remain focused when operating a motor vehicle upon the roadways of the State of Florida. One of the common causes of crashes involves distracted driving. Distracted driving is anything that takes your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, or mind off of driving. One of the most dangerous distracted driving behavior is texting and driving, as it encompasses all three of these elements. However, texting and driving is not the only cause of distracted driving. Other common causes include eating, tending to children, grooming, or checking the GPS system. When a driver is not focused on the road, it limits their ability to perceive a hazard and delays their reaction time to avoid a crash. The Lady Lake Police Department urges drivers to stay focused on driving when operating a motor vehicle.

On multi-lane streets, roads, and highways, drivers are required to operate their motor vehicle in the right half of the roadway except when passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction. Drivers must not continue to drive a vehicle in the far left lane when being overtaken by a faster moving vehicle, unless the driver is preparing to make a left turn at an intersection. Additionally, Florida law requires you to Move Over a lane — when you can safely do so — for stopped law enforcement, emergency, sanitation, utility service vehicles and tow trucks or wreckers. Continue reading →

According to the Department of Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there have been 102,756 total hit and run crashes in the State of Florida between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018.  These hit and run crashes resulted in 21,511 injuries and 215 fatalities.  The Lady Lake Police Department has responded to 61 hit and run crashes in 2019, three involving injuries and one fatality.

In Florida, anyone driving a vehicle involved in a crash is legally required to stop at the scene of an accident and provide the following information to the other driver or anyone else involved.  You must provide this information whether the other person is a passenger, pedestrian or cyclist.

• Name
• Address
• Vehicle registration number
• Driver’s license or permit, if available

Florida’s laws also require drivers to provide their licenses to police on the scene and provide “reasonable aid” if necessary.  This may include physically carrying an injured person away from the crash, if possible, calling 911 or transporting someone to the hospital (See Florida State Statute 316.062). Continue reading →

With the Holiday Season coming to an end and the New Year beginning, it is important to remain vigilant.  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.

There have been recent vehicle burglaries where wallets, pocketbooks, and backpacks have been left in both the front and back seats.  The victim’s driver’s license, debit cards, and check book were in possession of perpetrators that wrote checks and passed them using the bank’s drive through teller lane that is farthest from the window also known as “felony lane.”  The person passing the check will disguise themselves to match the appearance on the victim’s photo identification card by using wigs and sunglasses.  It may sound peculiar to some but it works because the teller is busy with the transaction and cannot truly verify the identity.  This is why it is so important not to leave anything of value in your vehicle even if it’s locked.      Continue reading →