A four-vehicle crash in Jacksonville on the afternoon of April 11 has left seven people injured and two dead. The accident was caused by a semi-truck that slammed into a Beetle and SUV, which were stopped behind a school bus. The occupants of the SUV — a 40-year-old driver and 65-year-old passenger — were killed in the semi-truck accident. The driver died at the scene of the crash, while the passenger died at a nearby hospital.
The semi-truck was loaded when it overturned and hit the two vehicles. The school bus, which was dropping off children at the time, was also involved in the crash. Four of the 13 students inside were hospitalized with injuries. A 50-year-old occupant inside the Beetle suffered minor injuries, as did the 70-year-old driver of the semi-truck.
The road was shut down for several hours while authorities investigated the scene. The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating and believes charges may be pending.
A semi-truck accident can cause serious or even fatal injuries, as seen in this case. These large tractor-trailers can weigh 80,000 pounds or more. When they collide with passenger cars, the result is often serious.
It is unknown what caused the semi-truck to hit the other vehicles, but there are many factors at play. The driver could have been distracted with texting or cell phone usage. He could also have been tired or intoxicated. In some cases, negligent truck maintenance is to blame.
The man’s negligence caused two fatalities, which means that he could face wrongful death lawsuits. These lawsuits would provide compensation to the victims’ families to help pay for expenses associated with their deaths.
Source: The Florida Times-Union, “Jacksonville police identify victims in accident that killed 2, injured 7 when truck hit 2 cars, school bus” Joe Daraskevich and Denise Amos, Apr. 12, 2014