Postal Service urges safe driving near Post Offices
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - The U.S. Postal Service wants to remind drivers to stay alert while driving around Post Offices after a vehicle drove into a Punta Gorda office this week, making it the eighth Post Office in the greater Central Florida area to have a vehicle crash into it this year.
According to the USPS, the top two causes of customers driving through Post Offices are: Stepping on the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal, and accelerating when the vehicle was in drive and the customer thought it was in reverse.
They are reminding drivers that Post Office parking lots have quick turnover times, with cars parked for less than five minutes. It only takes one second for an accident to occur.
Precautions drivers need to adopt while driving in and out of parking spaces include:
• Avoid distracted driving.
• Proceed slowly and carefully when pulling in, and backing out, of parking spaces.
• Visibly check to see whether your foot is on the gas pedal or the brake pedal.
• Visibly check to see if the vehicle is in Park, Reverse or Drive.
A full list of Post Offices incidents in 2012:
9/17/2012; Punta Gorda. Customer pressed the gas instead of the brakes and ran into the
building, hitting a front pillar.
8/21/2012; Leesburg. Customer she said she was startled by something falling from the
sky and accelerated into the post office lobby.
07/02/2012; Fruitland Park. Customer pulled into the wrong parking lot and was going to
back out. He did not realize the vehicle was in drive and stepped on the accelerator,
driving into the retail area.
6/14/2012; Lakeland MPO. Customer was sitting in vehicle talking to husband, put foot on
the gas instead of the brake, ran over the curb and knocked down a light pole.
3/5/2012; Goldenrod. Customer drove vehicle into front lobby of PO. Customer
thought she was pressing brake pedal as she was parking in handicap parking spot in
front of PO. Instead she pushed gas pedal and drove vehicle into one of the building's
mail supports.
2/12/2012; Vero Beach-Tropic Branch. Customer failed to brake and drove vehicle
through postal lobby.
2/8/2012; Wimauma. Customer hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, hitting the
front of the Post Office. The front bumper of the car hit the brick portion of the building
breaking the front glass windows.
1/3/2012; Indian Rocks Beach. Customer was leaving Post Office when foot slipped off
the brake and hit the accelerator, sending car forward over the curb into the east wall of
the Post Office. Car hit a cinder block wall, knocking down 2 sets of package lockers on
the inside wall.
WWSB