ALACHUA COUNTY, FL – An investigation is underway into a fatal accident that took place in Alachua County on Friday morning, according to WCJB.
The Florida Highway Patrol was called to the scene on County Road 219A southbound at about 4:50 a.m. Responding state troopers arrived to find that a 2001 Mazda truck had gone off the roadway and overturned.
The driver, a 47-year-old Hawthorne man, died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time. No other vehicles were involved in the wreck
LAKE COUNTY, FL – A woman who was charged in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Lake County has been sentenced to prison, the Villages-News reports.
Authorities said 32-year-old Tara Rene Schiessle of Lady Lake was the driver involved in the Sept 11, 2022 crash on Rolling Acres Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said Schiessle was driving a Jeep Cherokee Sport when she struck and killed a pedestrian, 40-year-old Jamie Weinz. Weinz’s male companion was also hit and seriously injured. Schiessle allegedly stopped briefly, then kept going after hitting the two victims.
According to investigators, Schiessle initially reported she had struck a deer. But the vehicle sought in the accident was linked to Schiessle after being tracked down to her apartment complex.
LAND O’LAKES, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Pasco County on Sunday morning.
Pasco News Online reports the accident happened on Ehren Cutoff near Tower Road in Land O’Lakes. According to state troopers, a 35-year-old Tampa man was going over the speed limit while riding south on a Yamaha motorcycle and lost control of the bike.
The motorcycle went off the road and hit a utility pole on the shoulder. The rider, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.
FHP reports that the driver lost control of the car and “ruined 300 feet of guardrail.”
Fortunately, there were no crash-related injuries.
Semi-trucks are the backbone of commerce when it comes to moving goods across great distances and bridging the gap between companies and customers. Though they are vital to our economy, these massive vehicles also present serious risks on the road, especially when a driver loses control. Due to their size and weight, semi-truck accidents are frequently disastrous. Several conditions, such as poor driving, mechanical failure, inclement weather, and road hazards, can cause semi-truck accidents.
How Much Does a Semi Truck Weigh?
Depending on size, a semi-truck without a trailer weigh between 10,000 and 25,000 pounds. A semi-truck hitched up to an empty trailer weigh about 35,000 pounds. In the US, an authorized semi-truck with a loaded trailer can weigh no more than 80,000 pounds.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Driver error is one of the main reasons behind semi-truck accidents. The trucking sector continues to be plagued by driver fatigue and distraction, despite strict laws and significant training requirements. Driver fatigue brought on by extended periods spent behind the wheel can affect judgment and reaction times. Distractions that take the focus off the road, like cell phones or in-cab electronics, raise the risk of accidents.
Mechanical failure is another major contributor to semi-truck accidents. Despite having strict maintenance schedules, issues can still arise involving these vehicles. Tire blowouts, engine troubles, steering system malfunctions, and brake failures can all cause a driver to lose control, endangering everyone sharing the roadway. These dangers can be increased by poorly maintained trucks or insufficient inspections, which emphasizes the importance of routine maintenance procedures.
Poor weather conditions present severe challenges for semi-truck drivers. It can be challenging to drive such large vehicles safely through rain, snow, ice, and fog since these conditions can impair traction and visibility. Sudden gusts of wind, particularly in open regions or on bridges, can destabilize trucks, leading them to run off the road. Even if seasoned drivers are prepared to deal with bad weather, accidents can still occur from unanticipated events.
Road hazards pose additional dangers to semi-truck drivers. A truck’s trajectory can be affected by potholes, debris, uneven pavement, and construction zones, especially when travelling on highways at higher speeds. Failure to successfully maneuver these barriers can lead to a loss of control that result in catastrophic accidents.
How Can You Safely Share the Road with Semis?
To coexist on the roads with semi-trucks, you must pay close attention to your surroundings. Large blind areas, also called “no-zones,” may affect the truck driver’s view. These blind areas are in front of the cab, along the sides, and right behind the vehicle. It is imperative that drivers stay out of these spots since the truck driver might not notice them, which raises the likelihood of collisions. Instead, keep a safe distance and make sure you can see the truck’s mirrors; if you cannot see the truck’s mirrors, then the driver probably cannot see you.
Sharing the road with semi-trucks also requires a great deal of patience. These vehicles have slower acceleration and deceleration times than passenger cars. Give semi-trucks plenty of room when merging in front of them; do not cut them off. A fully loaded truck takes a lot longer to stop completely, so keep in mind that slamming on your brakes or changing lanes suddenly in front of them can have disastrous results.
ALACHUA COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a crash in Alachua County on Sunday afternoon left seven people injured, the Gainesville Sun reports.
State troopers and rescue crews responded to the scene on Interstate 75 at the County Road 241 overpass at about 3:25 p.m.
It was determined that the incident began when the driver of a pickup truck tried to pass an SUV pulling a car trailer in the southbound lanes of I-75. The left side of the pickup hit the right side of the SUV’s trailer, causing the SUV to collide with a tractor-trailer that was parked along the roadway at mile marker 396.
BUSHNELL, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a collision in Sumter County Monday morning left one one driver dead and the other hospitalized.
WKMG reports the two-vehicle accident took place near Bushnell at about 7:45 a.m.
The FHP’s investigation found that the driver of a Chevrolet SUV was going east on County Road 476 and traveled into the westbound lane near SW 52nd Street. The SUV collided with a Nissan pickup truck that was going west.
DADE CITY, FL – A driver was killed in a wrong-way accident in Pasco County on Wednesday, Pasco News Online reports.
It happened in the area of 7th Street and Robinson Avenue in Dade City shortly before 5:30 p.m.
An investigation determined that a woman was driving a Chevy Cavalier southbound in the northbound lane on 7th Street. The driver of a southbound Ford Ranger was attempting to make a left turn at the intersection with Robinson Avenue and collided with the Cavalier, causing the Chevy to veer off the road and crash into a building.
MARION COUNTY, FL – A crash involving a truck and a minivan in Marion County left two people dead and three others injured, according to the Ocala StarBanner.
The vehicles collided Wednesday morning in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 near the exit for County Road 318.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a minivan traveling in the center lane clipped the left front tire of a semi in the right outside lane. The minivan went off the roadway, onto a grass shoulder, hit two trees and caught fire. The driver, a 49-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 15-year-old boy, died at the scene. Both were from Miami. Another passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Miami, was seriously injured while two children, ages 2 and 1, sustained minor injuries. The injured were taken to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
Officials say that a 7-year-old child who died in a mishap at a Florida ATV park this week was not wearing a helmet at the time.
The child was seated behind a 32-year-old man driving an ATV when the vehicle overturned on Sunday, April 21, at the Hog Waller Campground and ATV Resort in Palatka, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The ATV made a sharp turn and overturned onto the boy as he collided into a tree stump.
The 32-year-old suffered minor injuries, while the boy died at a nearby hospital.
With this incident, the park has now seen four fatalities since 2019.
The FHP claims that the victims were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
Florida law states that Operators of off-highway vehicles and riders under the age of 16 are required to wear safety helmets and eye protection certified by the USDOT. Riders of all ages are highly recommended to use eye protection and helmets.
Both adults and children are apparently required to sign two waivers before entering the park, according to reports. Signers of the waiver agree to assume certain risks, including the loss of all rights to compensation and legal action for any kind of personal injury, including death.
All-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, provide an exciting way for riders to experience the great outdoors and explore tough terrain. Wearing a helmet is an important component of ATV safety that is sometimes disregarded, but our Florida ATV Accident Lawyers cannot stress enough how important it is to wear a helmet, especially considering the possible risks connected to ATV collisions.
In the event of an ATV crash, wearing a helmet greatly lowers the chance of suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A helmet reduces the risk of serious brain damage by serving as a protective barrier that absorbs and distributes impact force. It is essentially a vital barrier that protects the rider’s head from harsh surfaces like rocks, tree branches or stumps, or the ground itself in the event of an accident.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The most recent report from the CPSC indicates that 2,211 fatalities in the US between 2016 and 2018 were related to off-highway vehicles (OHVs), which include utility-terrain vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, and recreational off-highway vehicles. Almost 75% of the fatalities were caused by ATVs. Children under the age of 16 accounted for over 300 of the deaths.
According to CPSC estimates, 112,300 injuries related to OHVs were attended to in hospital emergency rooms across the United States in 2020. ATVs accounted for 96% of all OHV injuries over a five-year period.
Florida has been named a top state for ATV deaths. In fact, 931 deaths, or more than 42% of all off-highway vehicle deaths, occurred in these 10 states between 2016 and 2018: Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California, Florida, North Carolina, New York, Alabama, and Michigan. Continue reading
TARPON SPRINGS, FL – State troopers were called to the scene of a fatal car vs. bicycle accident in Tarpon Springs on Tuesday evening, reports WTVT.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 75-year-old woman was riding a bicycle west on Bryan Lane ahead of a Jaguar SUV near Cypress Lakes Boulevard.
The investigation indicated that as the Jaguar approached, the bicycle rider abruptly turned left into the path of the vehicle and the bicyclist was struck. The victim, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene.
