A 25-year-old man was killed in an accident with a semi truck on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 in St. Petersburg. The crash occurred just before 6:00 am at 41st Street North and 38th Avenue.
The tractor trailer, driven by a 59-year-old Iowa man, was going south on 42nd Street North when it stopped at the intersection with 38th Avenue North, then made a left turn. The car, a 2003 Honda Civic driven by the young man of St. Petersburg, was going west on 38th Avenue North. The Honda was not able to avoid the truck, which turned in front of the car, and the car was wedged under the trailer and dragged.
The 24-year-old died at the scene. The pavement was wet and it was dark, but police do not know if those conditions were factors in the accident.
Accidents involving semi tractor-trailers and passenger cars are almost always serious, and often result in serious injury or death. These trucks are so much heavier and larger than cars, especially compact cars. And the accidents can involve many factors, including:
- Speed
- Lack of attention
- Driver fatigue
- Vehicle maintenance
- Driver inexperience
Federal laws strictly govern the operation of these big rigs for safety on our nation’s highways. Some of the laws include training and special licensing for truck drivers, a certain number of hours that drivers can be on the roads, special vehicle maintenance, and log and record keeping. Unfortunately, not all of these laws are followed.
