Broward County Florida Deputy Killed by Speeding Driver, Age 72
A Broward County Florida deputy on his way home from duty at the Fort Lauderdale jail was killed by an older speeding Florida driver earlier this week. Detention Deputy Michael Martin, 47, of the Broward Sheriff's Office, was about two miles away from his home when his Toyota Corolla was rear-ended by an out-of-control driver speeding west on Northwest 199th Avenue in Miami Gardens, Florida.
According to Miami Gardens Florida Police reports, the 72-year-old driver had struck or sideswiped two parked or stopped cars on Northwest 12th Avenue and Northwest 13th Avenue before speeding out of control and striking Deputy Martin's car. The impact of the crash rolled Deputy Martin's car onto its side and sent it spinning into a utility pole and street sign, and finally into another car when it stopped. The Deputy was brought to a Miami Florida hospital where he died of his injuries.
Older Drivers Involved in Fatal Car Accidents in Florida
The name of the 72 year old driver in this fatal South Florida car accident had not been released, and no charges had been filed pending an investigation. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that the numbers of fatal crashes involving drivers over age 65 actually declined between 2001 and 2005:
In Florida, NHTSA reported 613 drivers aged 65 and older involved in fatal crashes in 2001, as compared to 563 drivers in 2005.
It's unclear whether age or health were factors in this fatal South Florida car crash. A Broward County Florida car accident lawyer helps investigate and document the details in a deadly car crash to determine if the other driver was at fault. This sad story illustrates how even our law enforcement officials face the same dangers as the rest of us when they get in their cars and drive on South Florida streets and highways.
Speeding car kills Broward County deputy
SunSentinel.com Feb. 2, 2009
Related Web Resource
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: May 2007
Drivers 65 and Older Have Lower Involvement Rates in Fatal Car Crashes
