Investigating traffic accidents on local roads does not appear to substantially impact the Florida Highway Patrol's (FHP) staffing. The FHP investigates 18% of the traffic accidents occurring on local roads. However, the FHP used only 6% of its traffic enforcement workforce to conduct these investigations.
To improve the use of FHP resources, non-sworn officers could be used to investigate traffic accidents instead of troopers. This could save up to $6 million in FHP costs in the first year.
To reduce the FHP traffic accident investigation workload, the Legislature could limit the FHP's accident investigation responsibilities to state roads and/or raise the threshold that requires law enforcement units to investigate traffic accidents. FHP resources used in conducting these investigations could then be (1) shifted to other services, such as traffic enforcement, which may help reduce the number and severity of traffic accidents, or (2) eliminated, which could reduce FHP costs by an estimated $1 million to $2.6 million annually.

Progress Report: Florida Highway Patrol Fails to Achieve Savings or Demonstrate Impact of Adding Troopers
Report 01-29 June 2001
Florida Highway Patrol, Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles
Report 98-87 June 1999

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.