WHAT: “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire”
WHEN: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
SUMMARY: The Collier County Sheriff’s Office will crack down on motorists who toss cigarettes onto roadways Tuesday during “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire.”
The special traffic enforcement operation will be conducted countywide and will target motorists who discard any lit substance from a moving vehicle.
Discarded cigarettes are the biggest problem, deputies say.
“It’s pretty prevalent,” said CCSO Safety and Traffic Enforcement Bureau Sgt. Chris Gonzalez. “People do it all day long.’’
It is a violation of Florida law to throw, drop, or dispose of a lighted match, cigarette, cigar, ashes, or other flaming or glowing substance onto a roadway, or any substance that could cause a wildfire.
Violators could be arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.
The discarding of lit substances can cause major environmental, social and economic damages.
The loss of habitat, homes and even lives can result from discarding a lit substance onto a roadway.
