STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — Martin County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 43 traffic crashes in 24 hours on Thursday, when South Florida received heavy rain.
One of the accidents was a seven-car pileup on U.S. 1 near the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart Thursday at about 8:00 p.m., when a driver traveling south was speeding, crossed the center median, and hit another car triggering the crash.
Authorities say there were no fatalities or serious injuries in that accident.
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Sheriff’s officials say drivers need to slow down in general, but especially in wet weather.
Lt. David Rosko, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, says he cannot recall ever seeing 43 accidents in a single day in at least the past 20 years.
“South Florida, it’s very common for us to get these heavy downpours of rain. Motorists need to understand that they need to slow down when it’s raining like this. They need to drive safely,” Lt. Rosko said.
He says 43 crashes is about double the number they would respond to on a normal day in Martin County.
“While it does sound like it’s common sense to slow down in wet weather, not everybody actually abides by it. They think their vehicles are capable of traveling at speeds a lot faster than what are safe,” he said.
“The fastest speed that I’ve caught today was somebody going northbound on Federal (Highway) at 76 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone,” said Deputy Cory Gitlin, Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Martin County Sheriff’s deputies say some drivers, even on wet roads, are traveling at eye-popping speeds.
“While I was on 95 earlier, I got somebody at 120 (mph) but I was unable to catch ’em at the time,” said Deputy Nick Thomas, Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
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