The investigation is continuing into the death of one twin sister and the critical injury of the other when a tractor trailer ran a red light and plowed into the sisters' Honda vehicle on the morning of January 7.
Since the collision involved a death, it is likely that the results of the investigation will not be disclosed for up to three months. Unfortunately, as dedicated as the Florida Highway Patrol is, its investigators are hard-pressed to perform thorough investigations. It is helpful in such instances to have an independent expert investigate the accident scene and vehicles as soon as possible.
Meghan Kelly, 20, was killed, while her identical twin, Melissa, was seriously injured in the accident. They were returning to Florida Southern College from their home in LaBelle after the Winter break. At Florida Southern, they were both on the soccer team. The identity of the driver of the tractor trailer has not yet been released.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the tractor trailer ran a red light at the intersection of U.S. 27 and S.R. 29 in Glades County. When a death is involved, the Florida Highway Patrol will perform a traffic homicide investigation, which can take months to complete. In accidents involving tractor trailers, there are typically more factors than one would normally find in a run-of-the-mill automobile collision, and a speedy investigation is very important.
For example, truck drivers' hours of service are heavily regulated by Florida and federal law, since no one wants an 80,000-lb. juggernaut operated by someone dozing at the wheel. Nevertheless, it is well-known in the industry that many drivers keep two sets of logbooks. One, which is shown to law enforcement, tracks the hours that the driver needs to comply with the law. Another, which is accurate, shows the actual drive times -- and the violation of driver hours.
Also, in order to drive a tractor trailer, a driver must obtain a commercial drivers license ("CDL"), which requires special driving courses. Unfortunately, some of these schools fail to provide adequate training, leaving drivers with little understanding of the special dangers presented by such a large, heavy vehicle.
The condition and maintenance of the truck AND the trailer can also have a significant impact on their performance and their maneuverability in an accident situation.
Unfortunately, much of this important evidence can "disappear" by the time an official investigation is concluded, leaving the victims and their families with precious little to assert a claim against the at-fault driver and the company he or she works for.
For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Tractor-trailer accidents.