HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — ABC Action News got an inside look at the dangers road rangers face daily. They're stressing safety on the roadways ahead of a busy holiday travel season.
This week, the Florida Department of Transportation is honoring these workers during Crash Responder Safety Week.
We spoke to Joseph Guzman, an FDOT road ranger. He shared the dangers they face every day on the job.
“Move over for first responders. I can tell you that the biggest issue that we have is people not getting over,” Guzman said.
He said slowing down and moving a lane over when you see a road ranger could be a matter of life or death.
“Next thing you know, I look up, there’s a car swerving towards the shoulder, and there’s nowhere for me to go, so that’s probably the most dangerous part of the job,” Guzman said.
He explained that they respond to a multitude of calls and help lower the number of crashes.
From FY '22 to '23, FDOT responded to 492 calls, which dropped to 426 in FY '23-'24.
Some other safety tips he wants people to take away are to drive sober, avoid distractions, and follow the speed limit.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
