201802.12

Elderly RV Driver Going the Wrong Way on State Highway Causes Accident that Kills Two Teenagers in Port St Lucie

98-year old driving a recreational vehicle (RV) and going the wrong way on a St. Lucie highway recently killed two teenagers riding in a pickup truck in Port St Lucie. According to the Daily Mail’s coverage of the accident, the elderly driver and his passenger were both from Michigan, while the teenagers were local high school students. The RV was driving the wrong way when it struck the pick-up truck head on. Law enforcement officers investigating the accident announced that both teenagers were wearing their seatbelts. The accident occurred at approximately 7:00 p.m. on a Tuesday evening on State Road 70 in Port St. Lucie. The teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene, while the elderly RV driver and his passenger were taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. The RV driver was in critical condition, while his passenger was listed in serious condition. To make matters worse, the portion of State Road 70 where the accident occurred is a divided highway, meaning that the RV driver was in the wrong lanes without any means to get over in the event of oncoming traffic.

The Dangers that Can be posed by Elderly Drivers who May Be Unaware of Their Limitations

This tragic accident highlights many of the hazards of driving in a state where a large proportion of the population is elderly and may not know their limitations with respect to sight, vision, reaction time, and/or judgment. Although no reports have been released which attribute the accident to any cognitive decline or impaired judgment on the part of the RV’s 98-year old driver, there is little doubt that driving on a major road, in the wrong lane of a divided highway to boot, is not a smart decision. Given his age as well as the circumstances under which the accident occurred, it is entirely conceivable the driver may have been confused or, even if he meant to be driving where he was, may have overestimated his ability to react in time even if he did see an oncoming vehicle like the pick-up truck with which he collided. He also could simply have misunderstood or not been able to read the street signs due to poor eyesight, resulting in him traveling in a multi-ton vehicle the wrong way on a major thoroughfare.

The Dangers Posed by the Plethora of RV’s on Florida’s Roads

This tragedy also highlights another problem with recreational vehicles that are so commonplace on Florida roads – their sheer popularity in the Sunshine State. Many tourists who want to enjoy the state’s beautiful weather and beaches drive from all over the country and spend days or even weeks in Florida camping in RV’s. However, as any driver who has been next to an RV on the interstate knows, RV’s can be difficult to navigate in even the best of scenarios due to their large size and high profile, which makes them particularly difficult to steer if it is windy outside. Although an RV offers wonderful convenience and an inexpensive way to vacation because you do not have to pay for expensive plane tickets or hotel rooms, RV’s are large, formidable vehicles that can cause serious injuries or death for those unlucky enough to be in an accident with an RV. Even the smallest RV is larger than just about any passenger vehicle, so those traveling in the passenger vehicle likely will be more seriously impacted than anyone riding in an RV in the case of an accident between the two.

Contact the Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys of Schwed, Adams & McGinley if You Have Been Injured in an Accident Involving a Recreational Vehicle

At Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A., our experienced personal injury attorneys have decades of combined legal experience representing victims of motor vehicle and truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, golf cart accidents, and RV accidents like the recent collision in Port St. Lucie. Regardless of the reasons that the RV’s driver chose to operate a recreational vehicle on the wrong side of a busy thoroughfare, two innocent teenagers are dead and their families are in mourning as a result of his actions. Our firm has successfully represented individuals who have been injured or families who have had a loved one killed in an accident involving a recreational vehicle in the past and have enjoyed success in recovering often substantial compensation for their losses as a result of the accident. Therefore, if you or a loved one have been involved in an accident involving an RV in Florida in which you or a loved have been injured or killed by someone’s else negligent or reckless behavior, please call us today for a free consultation with one of our experienced accident and personal injury lawyers at (877) 694-6079 or email us at contact@schwedlawfirm.com.