POLK COUNTY, Fla. – An unusual case of distracted driving left a pickup truck perched atop a concrete barrier along the Polk Parkway Sunday morning, but fortunately no one was injured.
According to Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins, the crash happened around 7 a.m. Sunday, September 14, near milepost 14 on State Road 570.
FHP said a 22-year-old Auburndale man was driving a GMC Sierra westbound on the Polk Parkway when he entered a curve in the roadway.
According to FHP, the driver was simultaneously applying deodorant while traveling through the curve.
The GMC then collided with a crash attenuator before coming to rest partially atop a concrete barrier wall.
Photos from the scene show extensive debris scattered across the roadway and damage to the crash attenuator. The pickup can be seen balanced at an angle on top of the concrete barrier. Troopers were able to confirm it was a stick deodorant and not a spray deodorant located at the crash site.
Despite the appearance of the crash, FHP reported that the driver was not injured.
The crash serves as an unusual reminder that distracted driving involves more than cellphones. Anything that takes a driver’s attention or hands away from operating a vehicle can potentially lead to a crash.
