More crashes reported in wake of construction on Interstate 75

Construction project expected to take 3 more years

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Interstate 75 express lanes construction project has created a 10-mile stretch of road that is ripe with hazards.

"We believe we have had an increase in some crashes," Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Wysocky said. "We have had several people that have been seriously injured from debris."

Earlier this week, Jessica Gabe was hit by a large rock, but amazingly she wasn't hurt.

"A car hit a big boulder in the middle of the road, split it in two and half of the boulder came through my windshield and hit me," Gabe said. "Next thing I know I had glass all over me and the boulder in my lap."

Law enforcement officials said they are well aware of the problem. In 2015, they handed out 161 citations in Broward County for unsecured and fallen loads.

FHP alone cited 91 drivers, including one for causing serious injury or death.

If a driver does get a citation for not securing his load, it is a nonmoving violation and the driver would not receive points on his license. Even if he severely injures someone or kills someone from flying debris, it is a misdemeanor.

A year ago, Liza Angulo, 17, who had just graduated from high school, was killed after plowing into a construction truck that was merging back onto I-75.

"I have had trucks cut me off just trying to come over and you have to get out of the way because there is other traffic and trucks coming over," driver Sean Casey said.

The construction project is expected to take three more years to finish.

"It is a little sketchy," driver Wayne Mercer said. "The scale of the project -- I don't know how you make something that big safer."

FHP said drivers have to expect the unexpected

"The No. 1 thing is just pay attention when you get out there and drive," Wysocky said.