Howard Frankland Bridge, Gandy Bridge, Bayside Bridge, Courtney Campbell Causeway and Sunshine Skyway Bridge – TRAFFIC BACKUPS CAUSE REAR-END ACCIDENT

The Howard Frankland Bridge carries (135,000 cars per day) and spans from Tampa to St. Petersburg, Florida. It is one of three busy bridges connecting Hillsborough County and Pinellas County, the others being the Gandy Bridge which carries (35,000 cars per day) and the Courtney Campbell Causeway which carries (52,500 cars per day). In addition, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge carries (50,500 cars per day), spanning Florida’s Tampa Bay, is the world’s longest bridge with a cable-stayed main span, with a length of 29,040 feet (exactly 5.5 miles). It is part of I-275 (SR 93) and US 19 (SR 55), connecting St. Petersburg in Pinellas County and Terra Ceia in Manatee County, Florida, passing through Hillsborough County waters. The Bayside Bridge carries (68,807 cars per day) and runs north / south taking some of the heavy traffic off of U.S. Hwy 19 which carries (77,000 cars per day) through Clearwater, Florida. http://www.pinellascounty.org/mpo/maps/TrafCou06.pdf

When traffic backs up on these bridges, incidents occur. An “incident” is a traffic event that has an impact on traffic conditions. Incidents come in many forms, including disabled vehicles, abandoned vehicles, various spills and debris, environmental events (weather), and probably the most influential, vehicle accidents. These incidents decrease flow and add additional congestion to the already busy bridges.

These “incidents” cause drivers to “rubberneck” which cause further delays and accidents. Rubbernecking also refers to the act of quickly slowing down the car and paying attention to something outside (such as another accident). This can be very dangerous, and another car may run into yours. Tailgating is also a cause of many car accidents. Rubbernecking – despite what most people might think is the foremost cause of traffic accidents and related injuries. People who live or vacation in the Tampa Bay Area are more prone to rubberneck; especially, on the Howard Frankland, Gandy, Bayside and Sunshine Skyway Bridges. In fact, many accidents can occur near or around accident scenes.

To reduce the risk of such a collision: