The family of late “Fast & Furious” star Paul Walker believes the car carrying him flew out of control after hitting raised lane markers that are supposed to wake up drowsy drivers.
Walker and his pal, the car’s driver Roger Rodas, were speeding in Rodas’ Porsche on Nov. 30 near Los Angeles when it hit the markers, sources close to the family told TMZ.
The raised marks are supposed to jar drivers awake if they’re falling asleep and swerving out of their lane.
In this case, with the Porsche speeding at 90 mph, the dots caused the car to lose traction and hydroplane, the family told TMZ.
The raised markers were invented by California Department of Transportation engineer Elbert D. Botts in 1953. The markers were originally intended to be a cost-saving alternative to painted lines.
But the unintended safety benefit, jarring awake drifting drivers, led to California to mandate “Botts Dots” on all state freeways, except those in high-snow areas.