Local first responders were dispatched to Interstate 75 in Marion County on Monday morning after a pickup truck veered off the roadway and crashed into a ditch.
According to Ocala Fire Rescue, motorists traveling on I-75 northbound, between exits 352 and 354, had “a bit of a scare” when they saw the driver of a pickup truck lose control of the vehicle before rolling into a nearby ditch.
OFR stated on social media that both occupants of the pickup truck managed to exit the vehicle prior to the arrival of paramedics.
There were no injuries reported.
In light of this incident, and another on Sunday wherein a driver was killed after crashing his car into a disabled semi-truck on the shoulder of the highway, OFR is reminding drivers to stay alert and focused.
“Avoiding injuries and minimizing damages while traveling at speeds of 70 mph or more is far from a small feat,” stated OFR.
In order to decrease the odds of a collision while on the road, Ocala firefighters are reminding the public to:
- Practice defensive driving – Stay focused on the road while you’re behind the wheel, drive at controllable speeds, and be prepared to react to other drivers.
- Always look ahead – Scan the road around half of a mile to a full mile ahead to tell if you need to ease off the gas pedal and prepare to stop.
- Don’t follow too closely – Keep a “3-4 second gap.” Look ahead for a stationary object, and as soon as the vehicle ahead of you passes the object, start counting the seconds until you pass the same object.