3 Killed In SUV, Semi Truck Accident In Pasco

When an SUV collides with a semi truck, you can expect that the outcome won’t be good. Sadly, this was recently the case in Pasco, when a family of three was killed in a semi truck crash.

The fatal accident occurred on the evening of January 8 on Interstate 75. A 55-year-old man from Miami was driving a semi truck south on I-75 in Pasco. A 57-year-old man from Clearwater Beach was driving an SUV in the same direction in an adjacent lane.

The truck driver changed lanes while the SUV was in its path. The SUV hit the left rear of the truck’s trailer. All three occupants of the SUV died at the accident scene. Besides the driver, there was also a 53-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy inside the vehicle. I-75 was closed in both directions for more than six hours due to the crash.

It was confirmed that it was a family killed in the accident. The woman was identified as Danielle Prieto, a former board of education member for the Millburn, New Jersey school district. Her husband was driving the SUV and the teenage boy was her son. The couple had two older sons, but they were not in the vehicle at the time. Prieto served on the board until the end of 2021, when her family moved to Clearwater.

Unsafe Lane Changes

Semi truck drivers have a duty to drive the truck in a safe and reasonable manner. However, this can be difficult given the size of the truck. Trailers on a semi truck can be as much as 72 feet long.

As you can imagine, unsafe lane changes happen quite frequently with semi trucks. Merging into an adjacent lane is no easy task, especially in areas with heavy traffic. That’s why truck drivers need to be trained on these types of maneuvers, since poor merging can lead to deadly accidents, as seen in this case.

Truck drivers need to ensure that it is safe to make a lane change before merging. This means they should avoid interfering with the operation of other vehicles next to the truck. This can be hard due to the truck’s size, though, so drivers must be cautious and diligent. They should use turn signals and check and double-check for vehicles in their blind spots before changing lanes. They should not change lanes until it is safe.

Seek Help for Your Truck Accident Case

Pasco County sees a lot of semi truck traffic. When the driver is negligent or unsafe, these trucks can cause serious harm and even death.

If you have been involved in a truck accident, seek legal help from the Dade City & Zephyrhills truck accident attorneys at Madonna Law Group. These cases can be complex, so let us help you obtain compensation from the trucking companies and other liable parties. To schedule a consultation, call (800) 557-0411 or fill out the online form.

Source:

patch.com/florida/lutz/clearwater-family-dies-crash-semi-truck-i-75-pasco