50 Vehicle Pileup on Florida’s I-4

There was 50 vehicle pileup on Florida’s I-4 between Orlando and Tampa, early this morning (January 9, 2008). My son and I drove through there the evening before, and in fact reported the brush fire that reduced the visibility that contributed to the horrible accident. Although the visibility was reduced, there were other factors leading to the severity of that pileup…

Having lived in the Midwest, the Southwest, and the West… My move to Florida has convinced me that the worst drivers, the rudest drivers, and the most incompetent drivers are licensed to drive in the State of Florida.

I may do a future post on my thoughts as to how the poorly designed roads contribute to this… but for now, let’s concentrate on what the State of Florida needs to do, immediately, to help alleviate the problem.

SLOW DOWN THE TRUCKS! The trucking industry has always tried to portray commercial truck drivers as kind, compassionate, courteous, safe, and considerate drivers. In my experience driving in congested California traffic – Hwy 99 in the central valley, I-5 over the Grapevine, and throughout the LA and SF Bay areas… It is true. Truckers are good drivers, they are considerate, follow the laws, and courteous to all motorists.

I believe that part of the reason that truckers are courteous out west, is that trucks are given a separate status from automobiles. The most obvious is the truck speed limit of 55 mph. Automobiles stay out of truck lanes, trucks stay IN truck lanes, and usually obey the 55 mph speed limit. (Obviously, this behavior is encouraged by fair and consistent enforcement by the California Highway Patrol, and other traffic enforcement agencies.

Florida needs to enact and ENFORCE a truck speed limit of 55 mph! And they need to DO IT NOW! In the horrendous crash that occurred the morning of January 9, 2008, 20 semi’s were involved. Some overturned, some crushed automobiles, and some caught fire.

It’s ludicrous to encounter heavy truck traffic in EVERY lane of I-4 through the Orlando downtown area – yet it happens daily. It happens because trucks are allowed in all lanes, and allowed to travel at the same speed as automobile traffic. Why is that? Are the Florida legislators financially supported by the trucking industry? Or are they just simply stupid? Any person of intelligence knows that a fully loaded semi cannot stop in a distance equivalent to that of an automobile. Could this disparity in stopping distances be fully or partially to blame for the 50 vehicle pileup on I-4? Certainly it could have.

I also believe that some of the poor driving practices in Florida are caused by the rudeness of Florida drivers. For instance, vehicles in Florida always follow one another far too closely. Why? Because some rude driver will occupy your safety space, simply because he/she can, and it’s far more important that the rude driver arrive at their destination 35 seconds before you do!!

Did you know that in Florida, it must be against the law to ease off the gas and allow a vehicle signaling a lane change to actually change lanes? I’ve never seen in happen in Florida, yet even in the thickest of rush hours in LA, it happens all the time. Where is the courtesy that people give to others, in the State of Florida? Oh… it’s against the law? Courteous drivers exist in Georgia…

Come on, Florida legislators… let’s get the trucks slowed down and in their own lanes. Then let’s get the enforcement of traffic laws to the point that drivers realize that courtesy and safety can go hand in hand.