Running out of gas in your car might seem like an inconsequential issue, inconvenient but harmless nonetheless, especially when not in a rural setting taken from a scary movie. Although it’s overlooked as a potential cause of accidents, it can have fatal consequences.
On the morning of September 9, a 54 year-old Pompano Beach woman ran out of fuel in her Buick SUV and was stuck on the Atlantic Avenue northbound entrance ramp on Interstate 95 in Delray Avenue. According to Florida Highway Patrol, the woman turned on her vehicle’s hazard lights and started to walk towards the back of the car, probably considering her options in such a precarious position.
As she was walking to the rear of her car, a 21-year-old driver who was on the on ramp didn’t see what was taking place ahead of him. The driver was unable to reduce his speed while navigating his Nissan sedan, and he hit the woman and her SUV, knocking her into the roadway.
Sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the sedan was transported to Delray Medical Center to be treated with minor injuries.
Running out of gas in the middle of an on- or off-ramp is a difficult position to be in, especially since a lot of them have a notable curve that prohibits drivers from seeing what might be ahead of them. If you’re involved in a tough circumstance accident such as this, or any time of motor vehicle incident, please call Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath at (561) 655-1990.