MIAMI (WSVN) - A woman is preparing to sue the Florida Department of Transportation after a driver illegally exited express lanes on Interstate 95 and cut her off, forcing her to swerve into a wall.
That crash victim, Stephanie Blossom, was 29 weeks pregnant at the time of the crash. Now she’s suing the Florida Department of Transportation for $15,000 in damages.
The crash happened in October of 2015, and although Blossom said she is grateful that both she and the baby survived the crash, she believes something needs to be done. “My hope is that the state realizes that there is a certain level of responsibility with the maintenance of those roads,” she said.
She spoke with 7News alongside her attorney and said while she was driving on I-95, a car veered out of the express lanes, through the delineator and crashed right into her in the northbound lanes, near Northwest 62nd Street.
She then said she was forced to swerve to the left, causing her to crash into a retaining wall.
“When things are put in place to protect and maintain safety and maintain lanes, it’s so easy for people to cross over them at such high rates of speed that lives are in danger,” Blossom said. “That’s a safety issue.”
She suffered damage to her car and severe permanent injuries to her leg. A year and a half later, Blossom still has to undergo additional surgeries.
The victim said she is suing the FDOT because she believes the newer express lanes are confusing drivers and have created issues for motorists who want to exit the express lanes within the seven-mile stretch. She believes this is why many drivers move out of the lanes illegally, and which ultimately made her a victim in a crash like this.
FDOT released a statement to 7News that reads, “The department does not comment on any pending litigation.”
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