First responders risk their lives every day helping disabled drivers, and a local road ranger told Action News Jax they often find themselves in danger because of distracted drivers and drivers disobeying the move over law.
Road rangers, who provide services run by the Florida Department of Transportation, offer assistance to disabled drivers, including changing tires, providing gas or helping after an accident.
“We try to get out there and help these people,” First Coast Road Ranger Andrew Henry said.
According to FDOT, road rangers performed more than 54,000 services in 2014 and almost 1,400 of them were on the Buckman Bridge.
There is no cost to drivers who receive help from road rangers.
Henry said he’s concerned about the safety of his crew members because of distracted drivers and drivers who don’t move over, violating state law.
“Fumbling with your phone or any other electronic devices you may have in your car, it’s not worth your life,” Henry said. “It’s not worth my men’s life. It’s not worth an emergency responder’s life.”
Henry showed Action News Jax photos of a road ranger vehicle that was hit on JTB Tuesday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the road ranger vehicle was hit by a driver while it was assisting a disabled vehicle.
Henry said the road ranger is OK and has minor injuries but worries they won’t be so lucky if a road ranger gets hit again.
“When you hear the call go out on the radio, needless to say, it’ll curl your hairs,” Henry said.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, move over violations account for more than 100 crashes on Florida roadways each year.
Drivers said they worry that distractions behind the wheel play a role, too, including drivers on their cellphones.
“The worst part is passing someone who is you know [is on their phone] and they don’t even see me next to them passing them let alone see an ambulance or anything come past,” driver Daelynn Farrell said.
“Texting is the worst,” driver Steve Travis said. “Even being on the phone is the worst 'cause people just don’t pay attention when they’re talking.”
Cox Media Group
