TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Irony, Reality Collide On U.S. 19

ADVERTISEMENT

By DAVID SOMMER and JOSH POLTILOVE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 11, 2007

HOLIDAY - A news conference held Wednesday along U.S. 19 to launch a traffic safety campaign was partly to blame for a collision that occurred during the event.

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, the familiar sound of bumper crunching bumper filled the air.

A red Oldsmobile had hit its brakes and a blue pickup rear-ended the Oldsmobile.
DOT officials acknowledged the accident probably was caused by rubbernecking drivers slowing to see why people had gathered at the roadside.

One of the drivers involved said as much.

'They were stopping in the middle of traffic to see what was happening,' said Jeff Dobbs of Holiday, the pickup's driver.

No injuries were reported.

As part of the campaign, workers will erect 20 billboards with safety slogans. Police will step up patrols on U.S. 19 from Pinellas to Citrus counties, and the DOT will install 250 streetlights in Hernando County.

About 3,500 crashes with injuries happen every year on U.S. 19 between Pinellas and Citrus counties, the Department of Transportation said.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT