Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A semi truck lost control Tuesday and slammed into a car, resulting in the death of two young people.
The accident occurred along Interstate 95 near Lem Turner Road is the same roadway that has been the crash site for more than 100 car crashes in the last five years, according to data from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
The FHP found that 127 collisions have happened in the same area where the semi truck lost control. The majority of the crashes have taken place at a curve in the interstate that is located just past an on-ramp.
The only accident that has been fatal of the 127 that have happened in the past five years was the one that happened Tuesday, according to FHP.
The crash report indicates that the semi lost control while travelling south and smashed into a concrete barrier and hit a car in the right hand lane. The 21-year-old driver of the car and her 23-year-old passenger were killed. The 65-year-old driver of the semi truck suffered no injuries.
According to the FHP, they have handled 109 of the 127 crashes that have resulted in 33 injuries. The other 18 collisions resulted in 6 injuries and were handled by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The fatal accident that happened Tuesday is one of 22 that has occurred near the I-95 and Lem Turner Road interchange. The majority of these accidents were caused by off-road or rear-end wrecks.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is responsible for examining the roadways and identifying if any improvements need to be made. Cost, speed limit reductions, restructuring intersections, and other safety projects are looked at after accidents happen. FDOT will be reviewing the roadway to determine what needs to be done to make it safer for drivers.
The FHP said that Tuesday’s fatal crash is still being investigated and that charges are pending.
Semi truck collisions can be caused by numerous factors, some of the most common being:
- Drivers operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Drivers who are fatigued or drowsy
- Drivers who are distracted by their phones, navigation devices, the radio, etc.
- Speeding drivers
- Inclement weather
- Road hazards or dangerous conditions
- Trucks that are not properly maintained
- Poor visibility
- Construction zones
Federal Highway Trucking Regulations Suspended in March Due to Coronavirus
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), who oversees trucking regulations, temporarily suspended the mandate that dictates how many hours that truck drivers are allowed to drive back in March when the novel coronavirus first entered the scene in the U.S. The Trump Administration did this in an effort to get more goods out to people for emergency relief due to the global pandemic. These regulations are implemented to protect drivers sharing the roadways with semi trucks from truck drivers who have been operating their vehicles for prolonged periods of time. The rules are as follows: a truck driver can drive 11 hours in a 14 hour time frame. After this, they are required to take 10 hours off.
While the details surrounding the cause of this crash are not clear yet, it is true that tired truck drivers are operating on America’s roads. This is a danger for the foreseeable future.
If you are injured or have lost a loved one in a semi truck or tractor trailer accident, our Florida Semi Truck Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton want to remind you that we have the knowledge and experience needed to handle these types of cases. The trucking industry must follow strict regulations, but companies will do everything they can to find loopholes in these rules to protect at-fault drivers that have caused serious accidents. We know how these companies operate and how to investigate these types of cases so that those harmed can achieve justice.
We want to help you recover financial compensation from all parties responsible for any acts of recklessness or negligence. We may not be able to undo what has already been done, but we can fight to make sure that full and fair compensation is recovered from those responsible.
While coronavirus is still looming over us all, we want everyone to continue to prioritize their health and safety. If you have been involved in a collision with a tractor trailer or semi truck, please reach out to our Florida Semi Truck Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton for a free consultation to learn more about your rights.