10 people killed on I-75

The definition of an AMBER Alert is America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. So what are you calling an Amber Alert?

In this area they have installed those over the road signs with amber lettering to warn about traffic delays, road closures and for displaying what you call “Amber Alert” for missing persons.

I don’t know if by coincidence the signs I have seen in Florida are amber colored displays, the idea came from the disappearance of Amber Rene Hagerman, and her murder in 1996 would later inspire the creation of the AMBER Alert system.

Like I said in Florida they don't stay iddle waiting for the next missing person and are in use for displaying traffic information.

and how the signs are used. Amber alert is just that. Sometimes there are 2 signs on the roadway that is designated Amber alert and traffic/delays/accident. I have seen where they will light up the side of the sign with yellow lights to point out that the same sign is "amber alert" or traffic/delays.

The signs with the amber or yellow lettering go by a couple of names. They are either Dynamic Message Signs or Changeable Message Signs but most traffic and operations engineers prefer the DMS or Dynamic name. The alternating amber signal lights on many of them are referred to as semaphores rather than the blinking yellow lights.

High speeds in bad visibility, is a deadly combination.

Too bad it happened, but could have been avoided.

What really irks me about this accident is according to TV news that area of I-75 was closed earlier that night because of smoke from the grass fire and the Hwy Patrol had open the road back after they deemed it safe.

Here is a heads up for POI-Factory members planning on using I-75 southbound.

All lanes of the interstate are closed between Mile Markers 374 and 382 in Alachua County

They just announced SB I-75 will be closed for 10 days.

flaco, here's a tip: if it's foggy or poor visibility outside, drive very very slow, or pull over and turn your lights off.

Amber alert has nothing to to with this. It's called common sense.

I used to live in some very very foggy areas in central California. Some people would happily drive over 40mph in very foggy weather. A few people died.

Natural selection. Very sad, but very avoidable.

That's the worst thing you can do.

When you run into heavy fog, turn on your lights, and hazards first. Slow down to a safe speed.

Get off the road ASAP when safe, and at least leave the hazard lights on, if you need to shut the vehicle off. Lights are the only way people can get a bit of warning you are there.

Wait it out, and don't move until it's safe to drive again. The same rules apply as a blizzard.

If the drivers couldn't "see" the fog and bad conditions, what makes you think they would have even seen the sign and its warning?

As was pointed out above, it's just natural selection at work.

It doesn't help to have alerts if people ignore them. In my opinion a good share of accidents are caused by people driving too fast for conditions and not paying attention to their driving. In the past two weeks we almost had my wife's car tail ended by some woman not paying attention and I almost got broad sided with my car because some guy was going too fast on fresh snow and slid through a stop sign. Three or four days ago we had a dense fog that was freezing on the road and there were multiple run offs on I-43. One cop radioed in that while they were checking out one run off they were witnessing other run offs, he said they just won't slow down.

Stupidity can not be fixed. If it gets foggy out, slow down, pull over, etc... if you can't see. Also, turn your hazard lights on to warn others.

I pray for their souls

You can't fix stupid. When you see smoke, slow down. Hit the hazards, the headlights, and start making your way to the shoulder. Don't drive into smoke doing 65 miles an hour. Not smart. After saying all of that, my condolences to the families of the accident victims. It is sad that this happened when a majority of it probably could have been prevented.

What were said are very true. Same rule applies to snowy and icy conditions..

Unfortunately, some got second chance, while others did not.
R.I.P.

...

Wow, an Amber alert on the traffic service is an excellent idea!!

Finally someone read my initial post, I wasn't talking about an alert over the roadway but to pop-up in the GPSr

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families.

Troopers trying to explain away their decision after making a horrible blunder.
http://bit.ly/wuMlUp

The latest is that both North and Southbound lanes are open after they announced last night that Southbound was going to be closed for ten days.

Who is running the show here?

It depends on who said the road was closed. FHP can't declare a road closed other than for the length of time it takes to clear an accident. Only the DOT can close a road for that length of time.

If it's a crime scene, the PD can drag it out indefinitely. If someone(s) died, maybe longer.

The reason they gave last night on TV was because the road had melted under some of the vehicles.

There are electronic road signs, Emergency radio/tv broadcasting (EBS), and Highway advisory radio (530 AM). Plus, all the visual cue that tells you to stop/slow down or stay clear. I don't need another thing pop up on my little GPS screens. And, why do my GPS need to know there is a missing person alert?

It takes the local DOT Engineer to declare a road closed because of liability. They can legally order the road opened and that would put the police in the position where they would be liable for any damages due to delays or untimely deliveries.

Some may say I'm quite good at it.

I'd just LOVE to see this in the HTA, where there is a dangerous situation, and the police have to open a road.

I'll put the burden of proof regarding your statement on you to prove.

To be fair, if this is true, DOT will have a lawsuit if something happens.

There is already bumper to bumper traffic with all the lawyers coming down I-75, first the FHP had the road closed because the smoke then re-open the road ½ before the accident, road was then closed until early morning hours, then re-open and shortly after closed again for fear of the smoke and finally re-open for good. http://bit.ly/wpDHc2

The FHP is trying to defend in the public view their decision lets see what happens when they get to court.

It was probably caused by one of those 'safe drivers' going 20 MPH while everyone else went 70+ once speed/viisibility went to zero I doubt there was any 'safe' place on the highway. From the pictures looks like pulling over could also have been a death defying act. With 2 Billion+ on the planet we have alot of extras though.

you have that now...of course, mine works so badly I would not bet my life on it...not Garmin's fault but still untrustworthy.

The total number of people killed is now 11.

http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2012/2/2/11thvictimfo...