If you’ve been reading the news in Florida, you might have heard about this awful accident that happened. According to the story, a semi-truck collision led to a driver plunging off the bridge above the Alafia River. The fatal accident drew attention to the fact that the semi driver had allegedly been caught driving poorly in the past, and he still maintained control of his license.
The Feb. 12 report states that the fatal accident sent the car plunging off Interstate 75 at around 2:36 a.m. The driver, who was driving a BMW, was clipped by the truck. The semi overturned, and the car with a 42-year-old driver went over the bridge and into a 5-foot-deep river. According to the news, the Florida Highway Patrol wasn’t sure if any citations would be issued at the time of the report. The investigation is ongoing.
Shockingly, the man driving the semi has been cited for driving badly in the past. According to the story, he had 27 infractions including non-moving and moving violations. Only two of those had been applied to his commercial license, which may be why he was able to continue working as a driver. Violations he received in the past included driving on a suspended license and speeding. Those citations included four since 2010 alone; three of those were for speeding, according to reports, and the other was for failing to yield for an emergency vehicle.
At first, it was believed that the accident could have been caused by fog and low visibility. However, the troopers reported that it was clear for at least a mile when the accident happened. The National Weather Service also reported that the fog wouldn’t likely have been dense enough to impact driving at the time of the accident. It’s possible with further investigations that citations could be issued.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, “Truck driver in fatal Alafia River wreck has dozens of driving infractions” Colleen Wright and Claire Wiseman, Feb. 12, 2014
