If you’ve got a lead foot and a South Florida zip code, consider this your official warning: Operation Southern Slow Down is back, and law enforcement is out in full force. Running now through Sunday, July 20, the annual crackdown targets speeding and aggressive driving across five southeastern states, including Florida, and aims to make highways safer during the busy summer travel season.
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In Miami, that means extra patrols, more checkpoints and zero tolerance for anyone mistaking I-95 for a Formula 1 track. The Florida Highway Patrol, in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation, is intensifying efforts to curb the type of unsafe driving that contributed to 437 fatalities statewide in 2023.
Operation Southern Slow Down isn’t just about tickets (though last year’s campaign racked up more than 62,000 of them across participating states—nearly 50,000 for speeding). It’s also about education: You’ll see more road safety messaging, especially around common-sense reminders like buckling up, putting your phone away and, yes, actually going the speed limit.
There’s also a new Florida law in effect this month that ups the ante. “Dangerous excessive speeding”—defined as driving more than 50 mph over the limit or 100+ mph in any condition—can now land you severe fines and even jail time.
So what should you do? Easy. Drive like your abuela is in the passenger seat. Slow down, plan your route and if you see someone weaving through lanes like it’s Mario Kart, report them by dialing *FHP (*347).
In a city where traffic is already a daily battle, the last thing anyone needs is a speeding ticket—or worse.