Florida Man Killed by Semi-Truck in a Construction Zone
In an accident that highlighted both the dangers presented by the large numbers of semi-trucks on our nation’s highways, as well as why drivers need to be careful in and around construction zones, both in Florida and across the country, a Florida man recently was killed in Missouri when a semi-truck failed to slow down as a result of a traffic build-up that had formed in a construction zone. The semi plowed into the back of another semi-truck, which then struck the Florida man’s pickup truck from behind. Even though this accident occurred in Missouri, it highlights two phenomena that cause particular safety concerns for Florida drivers: (i) the number of semi-trucks on Florida’s highways; and (ii) the large number of construction sites along those same highways. Florida motorists are forced to endure seemingly endless construction on both highways as well as surface roads and the inevitable delays it causes, while also having to worry there may be an out-of-control semi-truck behind you as you are attempting to bring your vehicle safely to a stop as a result of a traffic stoppage due to a construction zone.
The Missouri Accident
According to a report from a local Missouri news outlet, the accident occurred shortly before 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon. The driver, who was from Bradenton on Florida’s West Coast, had slowed his vehicle as a result of a traffic backup that formed entering a construction zone on Interstate 70. A semi-truck then barreled into the back of another semi, which then was pushed into the back of the Florida driver’s pickup truck by the force of the impact. The Florida driver was pronounced dead on the scene from his injuries shortly after emergency responders arrived. The road was closed for nearly three hours while an accident reconstruction team from the local law enforcement investigated.
Semi-trucks and Construction Zones: A Particular Problem for Florida
Florida, and especially South Florida, is filled with both highways, which are full of large numbers of semi-trucks, as well as a large number of construction zones. It also features the start, as well as some of the most congested stretches, of some of the nation’s busiest interstates – Interstates 75 and 95. All these factors combine to make South Florida’s highways very dangerous. Semi-trucks are large vehicles that can weigh dozens of tons when fully loaded. They can be notoriously difficult to stop in circumstances like in the recent Missouri accident. The fact that the semi-truck which was determined to have killed the Florida man was going so fast that it hit another semi-truck and pushed it with enough force to cause the second semi-truck to plow into the back of the Florida pickup truck driver’s vehicle and kill him is a testament to either (i) how fast the second semi-truck was going or (ii) how difficult these large vehicles can be to stop in the event it is needed as a result of a traffic , or both. Either way, this accident is a very unwelcome reminder of why Florida drivers need to be particularly careful around construction zones on the highway. The traffic stoppages that inevitably form in and near construction zones can be extremely hazardous when they occur on a major highway, given the tendency of large, hard-to-stop vehicles like the ever-present semi-trucks that are found on the highways and roads of the Sunshine State.
Contact the Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys of Schwed, Adams & McGinley
The personal injury attorneys at Schwed, Adams & McGinley have over 150 years of combined legal experience representing those who have been injured in a variety of motor vehicle and truck accidents, including those who have been injured by semi-trucks or in construction zones on the roads and highways of the Sunshine State. Therefore, if you or a loved one was injured or killed by a semi-truck, in a construction zone, or in any other type of motor vehicle accident in Florida, please call us today for a free consultation at (877) 694-6079 or email us at contact@schwedlawfirm.com.