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Rubberneckers Crash U.S. 19 Safety Gathering

Andy Jones / Tribune

A Pasco County Sheriff's deputy talks with two women involved in a traffic accident on U.S. 19 next to the "See the Lights. Save a Life", a campaign.

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By David Sommer and Josh Poltilove, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2007

Updated: 10/10/2007 12:19 pm

Photo gallery from the press conference

HOLIDAY - In an ironic twist during a news conference on U.S. 19 to launch a traffic safety campaign along the road, a traffic collision occurred as drivers rubbernecked to see the event.

About 10 a.m. today outside the news conference, a red Oldsmobile hit its brakes to see what was going on. A blue pickup truck rear-ended the Oldsmobile. It doesn't appear anyone was injured.

State Department of Transportation staff members acknowledged the accident probably was caused by rubbernecking from people slowly driving along the road, trying to watch the event.

Jeffry Dobbs, 36, of Holiday, who drove the pickup, also said the accident was caused by rubbernecking.

"They were stopping in the middle of traffic to see what was happening," he said.

The accident happened as state Department of Transportation District 7 Secretary Donald Skelton began his remarks about "See the Lights Save a Life," a $150,000 safety campaign.

In the campaign, the transportation department will install 250 streetlights in Hernando County. Lights will be installed starting in the spring between Spring Hill Drive and State Road 50.

Over the next few months, workers will erect 20 billboards with safety slogans. Police will step up patrols on U.S. 19's 95-mile stretch through Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties, agency spokeswoman Marian Scorza said.

An average of 3,500 car crashes with injuries happen every year on U.S. 19 between Pinellas and Citrus, according to the transportation department. Officials say one-third of them are related to aggressive driving.

Reporter David Sommer can be reached at dsommer@tampatrib.com or (727) 815-1087. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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