Spring break has classically been celebrated by people of all ages, especially college students, in Florida. The weather combined with the beach combined with the overall vibes of the state makes it a perfect place for college students looking to get drunk and party to spend their break. With this tradition, there are pros and cons for the state. In one way, they benefit from the increased tourism as it bolsters their economy. In other ways, they deal with the negative outcomes that come with it as well. There is an increase in drunk and disorderly behavior, people leave trash all around, and overall, there is much chaos. To combat the negatives, Florida has decided to implement rules to tame the crowds.
Most major spring breaking towns in the state have begun enforcing a curfew.
The decision to implement the curfew comes after last year’s dangerous spring break season. There were two deadly shootings and over 500 arrests. Now, this spring breaking season has turned out to be a deadly one thus far too, proving the need for this curfew. There have been several shootings in just a short period of time. In Jacksonville Beach alone, three completely separate shootings occurred within one hour. Of these shootings, there has been one reported death and several injuries. The official count of arrests so far has not been released.
With the curfew, all businesses must close by midnight and people need to be off the street by that time as well.
Most cities have extra Florida state Highway Patrol officers to help enforce this curfew. Some cities, such Miami Beach, even have installed license plate readers and DUI check points in order to combat drunk driving. Parking fees have also substantially raised in an attempt to deter people from driving to and from the beach and other spring break festivities.
Now, Florida is starting to see a shift in the crowds. Spring break season is barely on its way, but already the numbers are way lower than they usually are. This weekend was the kickoff of Spring breaking season, and the number of attendees is declining as each day passes. Depending on who you ask, people view this as both a success and a failure. Some are happy and proud of the fact that the spring breakers are being forced to tame this year. Others fear that this will harm small businesses who rely on the large crowds. Overall, as the season continues, we hope everyone remains safe.
