Don't marvel at wildlife while stopped in the middle of the road. That's the message from Florida's Walton County Sheriff's Office.
It released video of a multi-vehicle crash that it says was caused by a motorist who stopped to let a turtle cross a highway.
"While no ill intentions were meant, trying to avoid or assist an animal who has made its way onto a busy road can cause you or other drivers life-threatening injuries," the sheriff's office posted on Facebook."
The crash involved numerous vehicles, including a semi, the sheriff's office said. No serious injuries were reported.
In light of the crash, the sheriff's office is asking people to think before potentially putting others in danger on the road.
"So, when you come across this predicament in the future and find yourself asking, 'To swerve or not to swerve' or 'To stop and protect,' we hope the answer will now be an obvious one," the sheriff's office said.
For those curious, the sheriff's office said the turtle also escaped the crash without injury. The sheriff's office says the reptile is now "living happily ever after in a pond where he will (hopefully) spend the rest of his days avoiding pavement of any kind."
