Trooper at Traffic Stop Hit by Vehicle Due to Hydroplaning

The term hydroplaning is usually used to describe when a car slides or skids across a wet surface. This happens when the tires of a vehicle encounter more water than it can scatter. Water is pressed under the tire, separating it from the road surface. The result is a loss of steering, braking, and power control. The first 10 minutes after a rainstorm can be the most dangerous time for hydroplaning. This is caused by the rain mixing with residue on the road’s surface, which can cause vehicles to hydroplane. One of the main ways to avoid hydroplaning is to slow down during rain. The faster a person is going, the harder it is for tires to scatter water.

WPTV reports on a driver who was cited after hitting a deputy conducting a traffic stop. The incident occurred along I-95 in Boynton Beach on Monday evening. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Trooper Jeremy Medastin was walking along southbound I-95 near Woolbright Road. He was returning to his vehicle to begin paperwork relating to a crash when he was struck by a vehicle that was hydroplaning.

18-year-old Ian James Carr was driving a 2011 Toyota Prius in the right lane when he lost control of the vehicle. His car veered towards the right shoulder, where he struck the trooper. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Medastin suffered from what looked like a broken ankle, but his injuries were non-life threatening.

Carr was cited for driving too fast for conditions.