At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Fort Worth Police responded to a weather-related collision on West Freeway.
According to Buddy Calzada, the Fort Worth Police Department’s public information officer, the incident involved a vehicle traveling in the far right lane, lane number three, encountering water pooling on the freeway. The driver lost control of the vehicle when it hydroplaned upon hitting the puddle.
Calzada explained that the car struck the median on the right before crossing all lanes of traffic and colliding with the bridge on the far left. Fortunately, the driver, who was wearing a seatbelt, escaped without injuries and was safely reunited with her loved ones.
Calzada emphasized the importance of maintaining a safe distance between vehicles on the road. Under normal driving conditions, a three-second gap between cars is recommended. However, in adverse weather conditions such as low visibility or heavy traffic, drivers should extend this distance by an additional second.
To mitigate the risk of flooding, approximately 21 crews are dispatched across the city. They conduct pre-inspections of critical inlets, culverts, and low water crossings to ensure they are clear of obstructions before rainfall. Fort Worth’s stormwater operations team, led by Juan Cadena, oversees over 350 hotspots that are checked both before and after rainfall to prevent flooding issues.
Citizens are encouraged to report any flooding or road obstructions through the My Fort Worth App, allowing crews to respond promptly to issues detected. Additionally, the city has installed flood warning sensors at 50 flood-prone locations. These sensors activate lights to alert drivers of potential flooding, and city crews are immediately dispatched if roadways are overtopped by water.
Calzada stressed that there is no safe depth for crossing flooded roads. If a road is overtopped, it is promptly closed to traffic to ensure public safety.
