Distracted Driver jumps her car off a roll back wrecker parked on the side of a Florida highway

[BoSox 15]

Originally Posted by ChessieMom

Why on earth did they not at least have cones up?? For that wrecker to be sitting in that lane - that is just waiting for an accident. Yes the driver should have been able to avoid it had she been paying proper attention, but damn. Whoever was responsible for that tow truck being in that lane, should have their head rattled!

Agree...I'm sorry but why is the flatbed down in the middle of the road? I don't even see lights flashing, most flatbeds I've seen have the lights on top of the bar across the flatbed. The accident scene is on the other side of the road, this whole situation makes no sense.

I guarantee with the flatbed in the raised position it's covering the red cab and the grey bed blends in with the road.

I'm against texting while driving but the state and the towing company bear some responsibility here. This whole scene makes no sense to me that nobody thought this was a bad idea.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by Spuggy

I don’t see any reports that the driver was “ obviously” texting or on her phone either does the op have some kind of weird omniscient powers

AND








....this










...didnt happen in FL.

[DaveinMtAiry]

While I agree better traffic control was needed I'm not ready to blame the driver of the tow truck. He parked there because that's where the disabled car was I would assume. He should have had his lights on but this was daytime and they probably would not have been very visible.

There were enough people standing around and emergency vehicles at the scene to make it obvious that something was going on, anyone who was paying attention would have seen that, slowed down and paid attention. So yeah although I too have not heard any reports of the driver texting that's where I'd put my money.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by RetireinPA

In all states, at all times, the driver is responsible to avoid anything in FRONT of them. Especially the stuff in front of them *not moving*

In all states first responders are responsible for setting up traffic control at an incident scene and preventing secondary crashes.

Five points for traffic control at a crash scene.

1. Advance Warning
2. Transition Area
3. Buffer Space
4. Work Area
5. Termination Area

When they allowed the roll back truck to park where it did, they ignored points 1, 2, 3, and 5.

]

[Spuggy]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

Well, to be fair, had that wrecker not been parked right there, she would have probably careened through the median and hit another car head-on in the opposite direction.

Had the police placed cones and stationed a police car behind it at some distance and directed traffic to the next lane , which is what they do on freeways here in aZ , she wouldn't have had an accident.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Spuggy

Had the police placed cones and stationed a police car behind it at some distance and directed traffic to the next lane , which is what they do on freeways here in aZ , she wouldn't have had an accident.

Yes and no... She wasn't paying attention, and clearly distracted for whatever reason.

[Spuggy]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

In all states first responders are responsible for setting up traffic control at an incident scene and preventing secondary crashes.

Five points for traffic control at a crash scene.

1. Advance Warning
2. Transition Area
3. Buffer Space
4. Work Area
5. Termination Area

When they allowed the roll back truck to park where it did, they ignored points 1, 2, 3, and 5.

]

[FC76-81]

They could have had a dozen guys waiving big red flags with orange cones set out and she still would have hit the truck. Obviously she wasn't paying any attention to driving.

[temptation001]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

In all states first responders are responsible for setting up traffic control at an incident scene and preventing secondary crashes.

Five points for traffic control at a crash scene.

1. Advance Warning
2. Transition Area
3. Buffer Space
4. Work Area
5. Termination Area

When they allowed the roll back truck to park where it did, they ignored points 1, 2, 3, and 5.

]

They should change this guy as well. Obviously he failed to do his job properly and caused an accident. Great post.

[Livinginwaterland]

Originally Posted by kell490

I'm speculating but that is what I see every day young 20-year-olds mostly woman sitting at a green light with their face in their phone. Driving down the road weaving around pull alongside same thing face in the phone.



Not worth it drive it on the blowout until you can't be hit by someone. If the vehicle is disabled walk off the road leave it stay back 20-30 feet. You have drunk drivers, and people playing with their phones. There been several killed here in Arizona I remember one fender bender on a freeway man was standing behind his car waving his arms. Driver going 70 mph plowed into him while he was texting wasn't much left of the mans body. The only damage was dent in a bumper because people think you have to just stop where you are when they get into an accident, they stop in the middle of the freeway get out of their cars.

Agree. Playing with one’s phone while driving is an epidemic in this country. So many accidents happen because of it. Was in the UK a few weeks ago for two weeks and saw just ONE person the entire time on their phone while driving. They have nearly once half the traffic deaths per 1 million people as the US does. Less distracted drivers is a big reason why. They also have much tighter control on aggressive driving. Even though I was driving on the other side of the road than I am used to, the driving there was almost relaxing compared to the states. We have terrible, aggressive, inconsiderate, and distracted drivers. Our roads suck because of it.