Plenty of people have rushed out the door with half their morning routine still unfinished. A 22-year-old driver from Auburndale, Florida, apparently tried to wrap his up on the highway, and the Florida Highway Patrol says the result was a pickup truck sitting on top of a concrete barrier wall.
- FHP says a 22-year-old Auburndale man was applying deodorant while driving through a curve on State Road 570 around 7 a.m. on a Monday.
- His pickup struck an anti-crash device and came to rest on top of the concrete barrier wall in the middle of the roadway, and no injuries were reported.
- Investigators clarified the deodorant was a stick, not a spray, and it’s unknown whether the driver will be cited.
What Troopers Say Happened
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened around 7 a.m. on a Monday. The driver was heading west on State Road 570 near milepost 14. His hometown of Auburndale sits southwest of Orlando.
Troopers say he was working his way through a curve in the highway while applying deodorant at the same time. Curves don’t leave much room for split attention. His truck hit an anti-crash device on the highway and then ended up on top of the concrete barrier wall in the middle of the roadway.
FHP hasn’t identified the driver. The agency did share photos from the scene along with its account of how the truck got there.
Nobody Was Hurt, and a Ticket Is Still an Open Question
The best part of this story is also the simplest. No injuries were reported. A pickup riding up onto a concrete wall could have ended far worse, so this driver came away with an odd headline instead of something much more serious.
Whether he’ll face a citation is unknown. FHP hasn’t said if he’ll be ticketed for the crash, so that piece of the story is still unsettled.
Stick, Not Spray
Once the story started spreading, interest got so intense that investigators actually had to clarify what kind of deodorant was involved. It was a stick. Not a spray.
That might sound like a silly detail to chase down, but it changes how you picture the scene. A spray would suggest a cloud of scent filling the cab. A stick suggests a hand busy with something other than steering while the road bent ahead. Neither version is great. The stick version just feels more familiar, since it’s the kind of quick task a lot of drivers might assume is harmless.
Why Tiny Tasks Behind the Wheel Add Up
FHP is using the crash to remind drivers to stay focused on Florida’s roads and highways. It’s a simple message, and a truck balanced on a barrier wall makes it pretty easy to remember.
The tricky part about small tasks is that they don’t feel like distractions. Swiping on deodorant, fixing your hair, checking your teeth in the mirror or reaching for a snack on the passenger seat each take only a moment. But a moment is all it takes for a curve to show up or traffic ahead to change. Once the truck is moving, your hands and eyes have one main job, and everything else can wait for a parking spot.
If you catch yourself finishing your routine in the driver’s seat, take a look at your morning schedule. A rushed start is an easy reason to multitask, and a little more breathing room can make it easier to keep your attention on the road.
Get Ready at Home, Then Hit the Road
This crash ended with no injuries and a story people couldn’t stop sharing. That’s about the luckiest outcome a distracted moment can have. If your mornings run tight, keep a small grooming kit at work, or give yourself five extra minutes before you grab the keys. Deodorant, coffee and a quick hair check all go better when you’re parked. Your truck belongs on the pavement, not on top of the wall in the middle of it.
David Martin