A 61-year-old Bradenton man died Thursday afternoon after losing control of his SUV and crashing into a tree on a stretch of road already known for serious wrecks.
The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. on 9th Street East near 51st Avenue East, according to Tampa Bay 28. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Florida Highway Patrol told Tampa Bay 28 that the SUV veered to the right, left the roadway, went onto the grass shoulder and struck a tree. Troopers said the crash remains under investigation.
Where It Happened
The intersection of 9th Street East and 51st Avenue East sits on a corridor that Manatee County traffic officials have already highlighted for elevated crash numbers. In its traffic-safety plan, Manatee County lists segments of 9th Street East on its high-injury network and calls for targeted improvements on roadways with repeated collisions.
Run-Off-Road Crashes And Countermeasures
When a vehicle leaves the roadway and hits a fixed object such as a tree, the outcome is often severe. Federal safety research shows that run-off-road collisions make up a large share of fatal crashes.
The Federal Highway Administration notes that shoulder rumble strips and similar countermeasures can significantly reduce fatal and injury run-off-road crashes, giving transportation agencies a set of tools to try to blunt the impact of these kinds of wrecks.
Officials And Next Steps
Troopers have not released the driver’s name beyond his age and hometown. Investigators have also not publicly identified any suspected contributing factors to the crash.
Authorities continue to examine the scene and will release more information as it becomes available, Tampa Bay 28 reported.
