South Florida Gasoline Tanker Truck Accident Killed Four People on I-595
A Fort Lauderdale court found a Hialeah truck driver guilty on four counts of vehicular homicide, resulting from a fiery truck accident that killed four people in February 2005. Truck driver Flavo Santisteban was operating a 9000-gallon gasoline tanker. As he drove on the Florida Turnpike ramp at Interstate 595, Santisteban lost control of the tanker, which skidded and burst into flames. A passenger vehicle with four people inside was pinned behind the tanker truck. All four people were killed in the explosion.
According to prosecutors, Santisteban was speeding before he lost control of the gasoline tanker truck. He now faces up to 60 years in jail. Speeding is one of the leading causes of commercial truck accidents, such as this tragic case. Other causes include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Operating while fatigued
- Driver distraction
- Faulty tires or other equipment
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 4,930 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes and 101,000 large trucks were involved in injury crashes in the year 2000. Sometimes both the driver and the trucking company are found to be at fault in truck accidents.
The sheer size of commercial trucks puts passenger vehicle occupants at a serious disadvantage when an accident occurs. The results can be even deadlier in truck accidents such as this case, where the driver was transporting flammable materials. This large truck accident also involved a ramp: Highway on-ramps and off-ramps can be particularly hazardous due to their sharp grades, curves, and merges.
As always, South Florida drivers, including those traveling on busy Interstate 595, should drive defensively and keep a safe distance from large commercial trucks.
Truck Driver Sentenced Monday for Deadly Accident Local10.com, Oct. 27, 2008
Other Web Resource
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Safety First
