Unusual accident draws attention Broken Trailer Hitch

Note: No Federal Standards are in place for trailer hitches. The industry stopped all efforts in 1972. What if this boat hit a car or a School Bus?

Originally posted on: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 by Anne Imanuel
Last updated on: 10/8/2008 11:23:59 PM

LEE COUNTY: An accident involving a 28-foot boat turned heads Wednesday evening. Oddly, they weren't the heads of fellow boaters, but people driving along US-41.

The 20,000 pound speedboat was stretching across US-41 near Lakeland Drive in North Fort Myers after it fell off the trailer that was carrying it.

Officials on the scene said the driver pulling the trailer was slowing down while approaching a red light and the trailer hitch broke off.

That hurled the boat off the trailer, across the median and into oncoming traffic. Surprisingly, little damage was done and no was hurt.

One southbound lane of US-41 was partially shut down for a few hours while the mess was cleaned up.

It took a giant crane to put the boat back onto the trailer.