(1) In a civil action for the death of or injury to a person, or for damage to property, against the Department of Transportation or its agents, consultants, or contractors for work performed on a highway, road, street, bridge, or other transportation facility when the death, injury, or damage resulted from a motor vehicle crash within a construction zone in which the driver of one of the vehicles was under the influence of alcoholic beverages as set forth in s. 316.193, under the influence of any chemical substance as set forth in s. 877.111, or illegally under the influence of any substance controlled under chapter 893 to the extent that her or his normal faculties were impaired or that she or he operated a vehicle recklessly as defined in s. 316.192, it is presumed that the driver’s operation of the vehicle was the sole proximate cause of her or his own death, injury, or damage. This presumption can be overcome if the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the Department of Transportation, or of its agents, consultants, or contractors, was a proximate cause of the driver’s death, injury, or damage.
(2) A contractor who constructs, maintains, or repairs a highway, road, street, bridge, or other transportation facility for the Department of Transportation is not liable to a claimant for personal injury, property damage, or death arising from the performance of the construction, maintenance, or repair if, at the time of the personal injury, property damage, or death, the contractor was in compliance with contract documents material to the condition that was the proximate cause of the personal injury, property damage, or death.
(a) The limitation on liability contained in this subsection does not apply when the proximate cause of the personal injury, property damage, or death is a latent condition, defect, error, or omission that was created by the contractor and not a defect, error, or omission in the contract documents; or when the proximate cause of the personal injury, property damage, or death was the contractor’s failure to perform, update, or comply with the maintenance of the traffic safety plan as required by the contract documents.
(b) Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted or construed as relieving the contractor of any obligation to provide the Department of Transportation with written notice of any apparent error or omission in the contract documents.
(c) Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted or construed to alter or affect any claim of the Department of Transportation against such contractor.
(d) This subsection does not affect any claim of any entity against such contractor, which claim is associated with such entity’s facilities on or in Department of Transportation roads or other transportation facilities.
(3) In all cases involving personal injury, property damage, or death, a person or entity who contracts to prepare or provide engineering plans for the construction or repair of a highway, road, street, bridge, or other transportation facility for the Department of Transportation shall be presumed to have prepared such engineering plans using the degree of care and skill ordinarily exercised by other engineers in the field under similar conditions and in similar localities and with due regard for acceptable engineering standards and principles if the engineering plans conformed to the Department of Transportation’s design standards material to the condition or defect that was the proximate cause of the personal injury, property damage, or death. This presumption can be overcome only upon a showing of the person’s or entity’s gross negligence in the preparation of the engineering plans and shall not be interpreted or construed to alter or affect any claim of the Department of Transportation against such person or entity. The limitation on liability contained in this subsection shall not apply to any hidden or undiscoverable condition created by the engineer. This subsection does not affect any claim of any entity against such engineer or engineering firm, which claim is associated with such entity’s facilities on or in Department of Transportation roads or other transportation facilities.
(4) In any civil action for death, injury, or damages against the Department of Transportation or its agents, consultants, engineers, or contractors for work performed on a highway, road, street, bridge, or other transportation facility, if the department, its agents, consultants, engineers, or contractors are immune from liability pursuant to this section or are not parties to the litigation, they may not be named on the jury verdict form or be found to be at fault or responsible for the injury, death, or damage that gave rise to the damages.
History.—s. 4, ch. 2005-281; s. 34, ch. 2006-1.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XXVI - Public Transportation
Chapter 337 - Contracting; Acquisition, Disposal, and Use of Property
337.015 - Administration of Public Contracts.
337.023 - Sale of Building; Acceptance of Replacement Building.
337.025 - Innovative Transportation Projects; Department to Establish Program.
337.026 - Authority of Department to Enter Into Agreements for Construction Aggregate Materials.
337.0261 - Construction Aggregate Materials.
337.027 - Authority to Implement a Business Development Program.
337.03 - Authority of Department to Purchase Surplus Properties From the Federal Government.
337.106 - Professional Service Providers; Requirement for Professional Liability Insurance.
337.107 - Contracts for Right-of-Way Services.
337.1075 - Contracts for Planning Services.
337.108 - Hazardous Materials and Pollutants; Indemnification.
337.111 - Contracting for Monuments and Memorials to Military Veterans at Rest Areas.
337.125 - Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business Enterprises; Notice Requirements.
337.139 - Efforts to Encourage Awarding Contracts to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.
337.141 - Payment of Construction or Maintenance Contracts.
337.145 - Offsetting Payments.
337.162 - Professional Services.
337.164 - Legislative Intent With Respect to Integrity of Public Contracting Process.
337.165 - Contract Crime; Denial or Revocation of a Certificate of Qualification.
337.166 - Moneys Recovered for Violations of Antitrust Laws.
337.167 - Administrative Procedures; Stays and Injunctions.
337.169 - Effect of Ch. 83-4 on Existing Remedies.
337.185 - State Arbitration Board.
337.19 - Suits by and Against Department; Limitation of Actions; Forum.
337.195 - Limits on Liability.
337.221 - Claims Settlement Process.
337.242 - Acquisition of Rail Corridors.
337.243 - Notification of Land Use Changes in Designated Transportation Corridors.
337.25 - Acquisition, Lease, and Disposal of Real and Personal Property.
337.2505 - Donations for Landscape Projects.
337.26 - Execution and Effect of Instruments of Sale, Lease, or Conveyance Executed by Department.
337.27 - Exercise of Power of Eminent Domain by Department; Procedure; Title; Cost.
337.273 - Transportation Corridors.
337.276 - Issuance of Bonds for Right-of-Way Land Acquisition and State Bridge Construction.
337.29 - Vesting of Title to Roads; Liability for Torts.
337.401 - Use of Right-of-Way for Utilities Subject to Regulation; Permit; Fees.
337.402 - Damage to Public Road Caused by Utility.
337.403 - Interference Caused by Utility; Expenses.
337.404 - Removal or Relocation of Utility Facilities; Notice and Order; Court Review.
337.406 - Unlawful Use of State Transportation Facility Right-of-Way; Penalties.
337.407 - Regulation of Signs and Lights Within Rights-of-Way.