The Mississippi Department of Transportation urged drivers to verify their vehicle’s height and not rely solely on smartphone navigation apps when passing under bridges, the agency said in a social media post.
MDOT said overhead collisions, commonly called bridge strikes, can damage vehicles and state infrastructure, cause delays and put the public and emergency responders at risk.
The agency said phone and popular GPS applications may not alert users to low-clearance bridges. MDOT told drivers it is their responsibility to know their vehicle’s height and avoid low-clearance obstacles.
MDOT urged motorists to measure their vehicle, watch for posted clearance signs and treat those signs as the final line of defense, the post said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
