Six men were killed in a deadly Florida motor vehicle crash in Glades County on Monday when a tractor-trailer struck the van carrying them. The crash is being called one of the deadliest auto accidents to ever occur in Southwest Florida.
The accident occurred after a sand truck driver failed to stop at a stop sign, crashing into the van. All six victims were killed on impact. Four of the victims were ejected from the van and only two of the six men were carrying identification.
Ewing Saunders, the 66-year-old tractor-trailer driver, was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital where he was reportedly in serious condition on Monday night. The truck he was driving is owned by West Coast Aggregate Haulers.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “Large Truck Causation Study,” major causes of crashes involving large trucks and passenger vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles, cars, pickup trucks, and vans, include:
• Improper surveillance
• Speeding
• Illegal driving maneuvers
• Exhaustion
• Illness
• Driver inattention
• Not anticipating other motorists’ maneuvers
• Driver distraction
Deadly truck crashes continue to be a potential danger for motorists on US roads. Injuries from truck crashes are usually catastrophic-especially for other drivers and pedestrians-and the costs for recovery and ongoing medical care can be very expensive.
6 killed in Fla. tractor-trailer crash with van, AP, October 1, 2008
Truck hits van, kills six in rural Glades County, News-Press.com, September 30, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Deadly Southwest Florida Crashes, News-Press.com, September 29, 2008
FMCSA
Contact Halberg & Fogg PLLC for your free consultation with one of our Florida tractor-trailer crash lawyers.