Posted on 10/06/2012 12:01:14 PM PDT by Blue Highway
(CNN) -- Fifty-two people were hurt Friday in a pileup involving dozens of vehicles on an interstate highway on Florida's Gulf Coast, police said.
The accident, which occurred about 3:30 p.m., involved at least 46 vehicles in the southbound lanes of I-75 on the Manatee/Sarasota county line, said Lt. Chris Miller with the Florida Highway Patrol. Twenty-two people, three of them in critical condition, were taken to area hospitals, he said.
None of the injuries was considered life-threatening, he said. "Quite a few had minor injuries that didn't require transport," he said.
The incident occurred about the time an afternoon thunderstorm struck, he said. "Weather was a contributing factor."
The Sarasota County Fire Department said that 29 people were taken to hospitals.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
yikes
It would be interesting to see how many PIP and BI claims are filed....
I've no doubt that speeding, tailgating and a general failure to take prevailing conditions into account were also "contributing factors."
Salad days are here if you own an auto-body shop in the Sarasota area.
The incident occurred about the time an afternoon thunderstorm struck, he said. “Weather was a contributing factor.”
I’ve no doubt that speeding, tailgating and a general failure to take prevailing conditions into account were also “contributing factors.”
I travel this route everyday. I’m sure you are right. University Parkway exit where this accident occurred is ALWAYS heavy traffic, slow, and a lot of lane changing. Tailgating and aggressive driving are huge problems all along this stretch of 75. Luckily I travel north on 75 in the afternoon and only took an extra hour to get home yesterday.
Sarasota has been having quick afternoon torrential downpours. I’m sure visibility and slick roads contributed, but crazy driver’s typically slow down to about 60-70 during rain, instead of 80-90 mph. I’m not kidding.
The accident wasn't precipitated by precipitation.
One of the headless drivers in the left lane abruptly turned off her left turn signal.
Everyone behind her panicked.
I have traveled that part of I -75 literally thousands of times. I have
no idea how t
hat many cars can be involved in an accident.
At 3:30 pm traffic would have been light to moderate
This happened at 3:30pm as we had a torrential downpour of rain yesterday afternoon. Traffic on I-75 was closed for hours.
I decided to head north after work to avoid the traffic as I normally take I-75 south for a few exits. The exit I normally take is the University Parkway exit where this 50 car pile up happened. I barely found a way to travel north to avoid bumper to bumper gridlock and this was even several hours later at 7pm.
By the time I was heading home it was 1AM and I drove through where the accident was and it was all clear by then and like it never happened.
People don’t slow down these days on slippery roads. They probably won’t learn their lesson today.
I had posted a similar message in the comments section on the Sarasota Tribune online page. It was weird no one bothered to inquire how many of the drivers of the cars in the crash were uninsured, or better worded as how many in the crash actually have legal insurance for their vehicles? I wonder if they will ever reveal this information?
I don’t understand what you mean and are you from Sarasota as well?
We have a winner. There are so many people driving foolishly these days, that it only takes one little slip.
Ealrier this week I got flipped off FOR STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT.
Anybody remember the “2-second rule”?
(And that’s only for good weather)
So sad for the families caught up in this accident. Years ago, my wife and I along with our baby daughter were in the middle of a multi-car pileup on a busy freeway. Some drunk driver veered from his lane and cars began smashing into each other all around us. I prayed hard that we would come out of it okay. No hits in front or sides, and cars were coming up fast behind us and smashed into each other. Wen it was over, we were the only non-struck car in the middle. Ambulances came for others and we counted our blessings. Still brings chills thinking about how helpless we were.
There may be something to this, or at least I’m willing to bet some joker stayed in the far left lane doing 15 mph when the doewnpoar occured and failed to have their lights or hazards on.
Driver’s are so bad. I don’t know if it’s because we have a lot of old people in Sarasota or just general distraction and speeding, but Wednesday morning, I had to avoid 4 accidents:
1. A car spun out in front of me getting on I-75 south.
2. Another big pick up truck just pushed me out of the way to get my spot in the left lane
3. A van just aimlessly veered into my lane
4. A psycho idiot went to pass me, a box truck, and a truck and trailer on a windy 55mph 2 lane road and cut me off because he almost got nailed by oncoming traffic.
That was a pretty normal days drive to work.
Sometimes I wish I had a rocket launcher to vaporize idiot drivers and people with Obama bumper stickers. (just kidding)
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