Fatal Accident on Florida Turnpike

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on September 16, 2015

A Tuesday afternoon crash has left a State Farm Road Ranger dead. According to the Florida Highway Patrol the ranger was stopped to help a motorist in the northbound lanes near 120th Street. The ranger was attempting to slow down traffic when the driver of a dump truck lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a nearby pole. As the ranger was trying to get out of the path of the truck, he was run over. The ranger’s name had not been released as of Tuesday evening.

The job of a Florida road ranger is an extremely dangerous one. Last October, another road ranger was killed when he was stopped to aid a motorist on I-95 in Palm Beach County. That accident was a hit-and-run which eventually led to the driver of the vehicle who was later convicted. This particular accident occurred at night, which can be especially dangerous for anyone working on Florida’s highways due to the reduced visibility and the number of impaired drivers on the roads.

Florida’s ‘Move Over’ law does offer some protection for anyone stopped alongside of the highway. The law states that drivers must slow to 20 mph less than the posted speed limit or 5 mph if the posted speed limit is 25 mph or less. Rangers must also wear highly reflective vests and activate emergency lights on their vehicles. They also place cones around the area they are working in.

It is not clear at this time what caused the driver of the dump truck to lose control of his vehicle. Witnesses on the scene believe that perhaps the truck was too heavy to stop quickly and the driver tried to take evasive action to avoid the crash. An investigation is still pending at this time.

If you or someone you love has been the victim of an accident while working on the job, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.