Headline Surfer photo illustration / Traggic zone set up for special tourism event on the beachside of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Law enforcement will have its share of headaches as beachside residents gear up for plenty of noise and traffic congestion with the tourism-driven "New Smyrna Beach Meet for Toyota Trucks."
Parking will also be very limited, and those who park in outlying residential side streets risk hefty parking fines and getting towed.
Couple all of that with the ongoing hassles of Spring Break and the New Smyrna Beach cops and Volusia County Sheriff's deputies will have a lot to deal with.
Under Florida law, law enforcement has established a Special Event Zone for Sunday in connection with the "New Smyrna Beach Meet for Toyota Trucks." This designation will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday and remain in effect for as long as necessary. Signs have been placed 24 hours before the anticipated Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority tourism-promoted event.
Under Florida law, law enforcement has established a Special Event Zone for Sunday in connection with the "New Smyrna Beach Meet for Toyota Trucks." This designation will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday and remain in effect for as long as necessary. Signs have been placed 24 hours before the anticipated Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority tourism-promoted event.
Under a law that took effect in 2022, Florida law permits the sheriff or chief administrative officer of a municipality to designate an area as a special event zone in response to events, including unpermitted activities or gatherings organized via social media that involve 50 or more people and cause significant disruptions to the normal flow of traffic on public roadways.
The law includes the following provisions:
- Doubles the statutory fine for any noncriminal traffic infraction that occurs within a special event zone.
- Allows a law enforcement officer to impound a vehicle for up to 72 hours for any noncriminal traffic infraction or criminal traffic violation that occurs in a special event zone.
- Authorizes law enforcement officers to enforce special event zones' occupancy limits.
- Provides for recovering costs associated with designating and enforcing a special event zone from the special event organizer or promoter.
Tourism events like these certainly have their share of critics and with good reason:
"Can we just start making up random events to keep making these cities look stupid?" Jay-Randall Geraghty asked. I have a better idea: Stop supporting these cities and watch them go bankrupt. They need the revenue from tourists and outsiders."
Others in social media compared this Toyota Truck meet to another much larger and even longer controversial Volusia county tourism event - the Jeep Beach Week.
James Rockworth asked: "So Jeep Beach is OK but Toyota Beach isn't?"
Rockworth got an earful from Jennifer Wyscaver Martin: "Jeep Week pays for permits. They also give a lot of monies to our schools here in Volusia County for those of you have young ones."
She continued: "If you haven’t noticed they come and behave and act accordingly. Much different group and crowds of people. People just can’t create private groups and invite the world here to events without permits etc. Not to mention if the event caused a big ruckus usually the ones sharing and promoting will be held liable for any damages, serious crimes, and fines for disruptions to the city.
Wyscaver Martin added: "The organizers and promoters can get hefty fines, lawsuits, and if not jail time. For anything caused on their behalf of inviting these people. It’s done unprofessionally. Big difference buddy."
Wayne Campbell, another critic of the upcoming Toyota truck event said pointedly: "Bet there will be a lot of squatted trucks which are banned from the beach."
Did You Know?
Squatted trucks have a raised front end and a lowered rear end. This style is also known as the "Carolina Squat" or "tooted truck."
How it's done:
- A large front lift kit is installed, often 6–8 inches. The rear suspension is left stock or lowered.
History:
- The style originated in off-road racing to help trucks handle rough terrain. It became popular in the early 2000s, especially in the Southern states. It has become a cultural phenomenon with online communities for fans.
Safety concerns:
- Some say squatted trucks are dangerous because they can obstruct the driver's view, making it difficult to see pedestrians, animals, and the distance ahead.
Legality:
- Some states have banned squatted trucks, including North Carolina and South Carolina. In South Carolina, the first offense for driving a squatted truck is a $100 fine, the second is $200, and the third is $300 plus a one-year driver's license suspension.
Multimedia video
YouTube download / The 2024 Jeep Beach Week at the World's Most Famous Beach here in Daytona and on area Volusia County beaches in beach driving zones.
The 2025 Daytona Beach Jeep Beach Week, scheduled for April 18-27, is put on by the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitor Bureau, which receives funding from tourism tax dollars.
Editor's Note: Headline Surfer does not solicit advertising from any county or local government entity including trucking events described in the news story above. Such events may receive Headline Surfer news coverage depending on actual news.
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