Two men are in the hospital with serious injuries after a traffic crash in Walton County last week. An 18 year old man from Crestview was driving a Ford Focus north on State Road 285 south of State Road 8 around 6:55 a.m. He tried to pass a tractor trailer by continuing north in the southbound lanes of S.R. 285. The FHP report states this is when the Focus collided head-on with the front left of a Chevy Van driven by a 26 year old male from DeFuniak Springs. At least one patient was taken by helicopter to a hospital. The driver of the Focus is charged with improper change of lanes when passing.
Our thoughts and prayers go out with both injured people in this accident and their families. We hope for a speedy recovery.
According to Florida law, Statute 316.085 Limitations on overtaking, passing, changing lanes and changing course.–
(1) No vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the center of the roadway in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless authorized by the provisions of this chapter and unless such left side is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be completely made without interfering with the operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction of any vehicle overtaken. In every event the overtaking vehicle must return to an authorized lane of travel as soon as practicable and, in the event the passing movement involves the use of a lane authorized for vehicles approaching from the opposite direction, before coming within 200 feet of any approaching vehicle.
(2) No vehicle shall be driven from a direct course in any lane on any highway until the driver has determined that the vehicle is not being approached or passed by any other vehicle in the lane or on the side to which the driver desires to move and that the move can be completely made with safety and without interfering with the safe operation of any vehicle approaching from the same direction.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a head on collision, contact us at Brannon & Brannon (850)659-2252 or through our website www.brannoncanhelp.com
