Truck Accidents

November 20, 2023

News: SUV driver hurt in crash with semi near Orient Rd. Jail

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – An SUV driver was seriously hurt in a crash involving a semi-truck that happened south of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Orient Road Jail Friday.

WTSP said this collision occurred at the East Adamo Drive and Orient Road junction, and Tampa Police responded to the crash after 5:30 p.m. Police immediately shut down the eastbound lanes (located between Maydell Drive and Orient Road) after arriving.

It is not immediately clear when lanes reopened if the driver was transported to an area hospital, and what exactly led to this collision.

November 14, 2023

News: Driver hurt in Gibsonton tractor-trailer jackknife crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GIBSONTON, FL – A tractor-trailer driver lost control of their truck, leading it to jackknife and them to crash into a barrier wall on I-75 North after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

WTSP said the force of the collision caused fuel to spill from the truck, resulting in crews shutting down the northbound lanes to contain the spill. The motorist sustained minor injuries, and officials did not reveal whether they were sent to a hospital for treatment or as a precaution.

September 18, 2023

News: Semi rollover crash on I-4 in causes major delays, lane closures

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PLANT CITY, FL – A semi-truck rolled over and landed on its side on I-4 West, resulting in all lane closures for the westbound directions and significant delays.

Fox 13 News said that injuries were sustained. However, it is unclear how many people were hurt and what exactly led to this crash.

Our newsroom will be sure to provide updates as they become publicly available.

July 17, 2023

Crash involving Amtrak train, semi-truck in Lakeland injures 8

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKELAND, FL – Right people were hospitalized after an Amtrak train collided with a semi-truck in Lakeland last Friday night.

According to WESH, the train, bound for New York, hit the semi-truck as it was stopped on the tracks crossing North Canal Avenue, just south of US-92.

In total, eight victims were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear whether the truck driver suffered injuries as a result of the crash.

July 20, 2021

Tips for Navigating Tampa’s Rush Hour Traffic in 2021 | Tampa Bay Car and Truck Accident Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WalletHub named Tampa the 9th fastest growing city in the United States in 2020, which means tourism and revenue are up in the area, but this also means rush hour traffic can be a nightmare to contend with.

At Whittel & Melton, our Tampa Bay Car and Truck Accident Lawyers know full well that there is no realistic way to completely avoid traffic. However, there are some tips we can offer to help you spend less time sitting in heavy traffic, which may help you have a better day.

Steering clear of traffic reduces your chances of being involved in a car accident significantly, which is just one benefit. If you have been involved in a car accident in the Tampa Bay area then we urge you to get in touch with us to learn more about what we can do to help you file a personal injury claim for damages.

The good news is that there are some great strategies that you can implement when you are aware of the traffic patterns and can act accordingly.

The more you understand about Tampa’s population growth, the more you can understand why traffic is such an issue. Interstate-275, I-4, I-75, SR 580, SR 582, SR 583, US 301, US 92, and Dale Mabry Highway are a few of the major highways that have become a bear to navigate during peak travel times throughout the day. While there are many benefits to minimizing your time spent in traffic and thus in your vehicle, the main one is that the less amount of time you are on the roads the less likely you are to be involved in a car accident. We know that it is not always possible to avoid a car accident, but we know that there are ways to reduce the odds of being involved in one.

Read on to understand more about traffic in Tampa and how you can navigate it more effectively.

Factors that Contribute to Growing Traffic in Tampa

Increasing Population

Florida dominates the growth trend as an entire state, and Tampa Bay is growing every single day with more people setting up residence here. Over the past 9 years Tampa’s population growth rate remains pretty consistent ranging from 0.63% to 2.45%, adding around 2,199 to 8,817 people every year. There are numerous workers and entrepreneurs moving here every year to take advantage of the many job opportunities, which contributes to the strong population growth.

Construction Projects

Tampa has its fair share of construction projects that result in lane closures, street closures, etours, and of course, delays. You can register for alerts to be sent to your phone or email each day so that you can have an update about traffic patterns before you leave your house every morning.

Some of the construction projects in Tampa include:

Dale Mabry Highway Roadway Lighting Maintenance at W. Humphrey Street
Hillsborough County Bridge Maintenance Repair US 41, SR 60 and US 301
I-275 (Howard Frankland Bridge) New southbound bridge between Pinellas and Hillsborough counties
I-275 Widening from I-4 to north of US 92 (Hillsborough Ave.)
I-275, I-4, I-75 Wrong-way Detection Installation in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties
I-75 Ramp Reconfiguration and Interchange Modification from south of MLK (exit 260) to I-4
Independence Parkway Repaving of SR 589 (Veterans Expressway) Ramps
SR 580 (Hillsborough Ave) Median Safety Improvements from Memorial Hwy/Sheldon Rd to Himes Ave
SR 582 (Fowler Avenue) Intersection Improvements (Multiple Locations)
SR 583 (56th St) Roadway Lighting Maintenance from Hillsborough Ave to Puritan Rd
SR 60 (Kennedy Blvd) Safety Enhancements and Pedestrian Improvements from West Shore Blvd to MacDill Ave
US 301 Median Safety Improvements from Falkenburg Road to Sligh Avenue
US 92 (Hillsborough Ave) Highway Lighting from 56th St and I-4
US 92 (Hillsborough Avenue) Mid-block Crosswalk between Central Ave and 56th Street

By knowing these locations and the traffic patterns, you can plan alternate routes and help yourself have a better commute.

Learn Peak Traffic Times in Tampa

When you are able to understand the peak times and traffic patterns, it can become a great deal easier to navigate Hillsborough and Pinellas County traffic.

The “Rush Hour Rampage” in Tampa is from 7:30 and 9:30 am and again from 3:30 to 7:30 pm. During these times, it is best to avoid Hillsborough Ave and popular I-275 exits.

Back Roads Might Increase Your Travel Time

While you might think that taking the back roads will shorten your commute, you’d be wrong. There are over 130 main roads in Pinellas County that have smart technology, like Ulmerton Rd. and U.S. 19, so if you are traveling with traffic the green lights actually last longer. Smaller roads like Belcher Rd. or Bellaire Rd. have shorter green lights, which means more time waiting.

Follow Speed Limits

The “InSync” smart traffic signals are timed to work with speed limits, so if you are going too fast or too slow then you could hit more red lights.

Talk to Your Boss About Working from Home

Even if you can work a few days from home, this could help you avoid a few days of traffic. Start by asking your boss to work 1-2 days from home to show that you can be just as productive at your home office as at your work office. If you can show that you are able to be as productive, if not more, then they may be more inclined to let you work more days from home or even full time at home.

You could even ask to work off peak hours so that you avoid rush hour traffic, like 10:00am to 7:00pm or 6:00am to 2:00pm.

Take Advantage of Public Transportation

Tampa boasts many different options for getting around, such as bikes and buses. Tampa has Coast Bikes available and numerous hubs to park them located around the city. Tampa also has various scooters to rent, such as Lime, Bird and Spin. Tampa also has a pirate water taxi, the Downtowner ride share service, the Hart bus, Zipcar, and the Teco Line Streetcar.

Avoiding Traffic Means Hours of Your Life Back

Rush hour traffic can add hundreds of wasted hours to your life. By taking advantage of some of the options we have outlined above, you will see lots of time saved and value added back to your life. You will also minimize your risk of being involved in a traffic accident. Continue reading

October 7, 2020

Van Driver Killed in Crash with Semi Truck in Tampa | Tampa Truck Accident Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Tampa man was killed Monday after his van was involved in a crash with a semi truck on Fowler Avenue in Tampa Bay.

The 58-year-old man behind the wheel of the van was travelling east on Fowler around 10:30 p.m. when he failed to navigate a curve in the road. The Florida Highway Patrol said the van exited the roadway and crossed the median right into the path of a big rig that was heading north.

The van became stuck under the semi truck and eventually came to a stop near the west shoulder of southbound 301.

February 25, 2020

Three Teens Killed in Head-On Collision with Semi Truck

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Three teens are dead after a head-on crash with a semi-tractor trailer on U.S. 92 early Saturday morning in Hillsborough County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A 17-year-old from Dover and his 15-year-old passenger were killed in the crash.

A second passenger, 14, was transported to the hospital in critical condition but died on Sunday from his injuries.

At around 12:38 a.m., the teen was driving a 2008 Ford Escape going westbound on U.S. 92, west of Turkey Creek Road, when for some unknown reason he crossed the centerline of the road and struck head-on with a 2005 semi-tractor trailer, driven by a 61-year-old man, according to FHP.

The driver and the female passenger died at the scene and the 14-year-old passenger had to be airlift to Tampa General Hospital.

The semi-truck driver was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical in serious condition.

FHP stated that all involved in the crash were not under the influence of alcohol, however the teens were not wearing their seatbelts.

Currently, there are no charges pending.

This accident highlights just how critical it is to wear your seatbelt every time you get in a vehicle. Statistics show that seat belts save lives. When used correctly, wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45%, and risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%. For those riding in the back of a larger vehicle, like a truck or SUV, seat belts are shown to be 73% better at preventing fatalities. The sad reality is that victims are not properly restrained in more than one-half of all fatal car accidents. Likewise, children are likely to be buckled 92% of the time when adults in the car use seat belts, as opposed to 72% of the time when adults do not buckle up.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), many Americans understand the lifesaving value of the seat belt as the national use rate was at 90.7% in 2019. Seat belt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017.

In 2017, 37,133 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. Of those, 47% were not wearing seat belts, according to the NHTSA. In 2017 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives and could have saved an additional 2,549 people if they had been wearing seat belts.

The consequences of not wearing a seat belt are pretty clear, but our Tampa Bay Auto Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton would like to reiterate some key facts:

Buckling up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle. Not wearing a seatbelt can cause you to be completely ejected from a vehicle in a crash, which is almost always fatal.
Air bags are not enough to protect you in a crash. In fact, the force of an airbag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up.
Not wearing a seat belt properly, such as putting the strap below your arm, puts you and your children at risk in a crash.

The benefits of buckling up are abundantly clear:

If you buckle up in the front seat of a passenger car, you can reduce your risk of fatal injury by 45% and your risk of moderate to critical injury by 50%.
When you buckle up in a van or truck, you can reduce your risk of fatal injury by 60% and reduce your risk of moderate to critical injury by 65%.

Drivers should know the risks of operating a vehicle when they get inside. Cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs can be dangerous, whether you are buckled up or not. Just because you’re wearing a seat belt doesn’t mean you will survive a car crash. However, using a seat belt as an added safety measure, along with defensive driving skills and basic safety can ultimately help reduce your risk of suffering a serious injury or fatality in the event of a car accident.

November 15, 2019

2 Dead, 5 Injured in Overnight Fiery I-75 Semi Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Sharing the road with large trucks can be frightening, and also very dangerous. Large trucks, including semis and tractor trailers, are particularly dangerous when they are traveling too close to the cars in front of them at a high rate of speed. If you have ever experienced this while driving on a highway then you know exactly how terrifying it can be, especially when you are in a smaller vehicle. When trucks are travelling along side you it is crucial to avoid the truck’s blind spots and to make sure that you keep a safe distance from the truck. However, sometimes there are no warning signs that a truck is driving too fast or too closely to your vehicle and there is no way to avoid being struck by one of these large vehicles. Sadly, this is exactly what happened on I-75 in Hillsborough County in a truck crash where two people were killed.

The northbound lanes of Interstate 75 just past Bruce B. Downs Boulevard were reopened Thursday morning after a fiery semi truck crash that left two people dead and five others injured Wednesday night.

The lanes were reopened just before 8 a.m., more than 12 hours after the crash, which happened just before 7 p.m. Wednesday night.

At least eight vehicles were involved in the crash.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the semi could not slow down in time to avoid the traffic ahead that had slowed to an almost stop. The semi plowed into multiple vehicles and collided with a pillar for an overhead roadway sign on the outside shoulder.

The semi and another vehicle became engulfed in flames. Both those drivers died. Troopers have not released the names of the people killed.

Crews were finally able to remove the semi just after 7 a.m. and reopened the lanes. Cleanup has continued along the side of the roadway.

The crash remains under investigation.

Truck accidents can lead to devastating injuries that require expensive medical care and could prevent you from working for days, weeks or even permanently. Due to the severity of the injuries that result from truck accidents, it is absolutely vital that you receive the maximum compensation you deserve. Our Tampa Bay Truck Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can conduct an investigation into your crash to build a strong case on your behalf.

In order to successfully prove fault in your case, we must show that someone else’s negligence caused the truck accident. We will gather all of the evidence necessary to help you obtain maximum financial compensation. We will start by reconstructing the accident scene and reviewing the police and accident reports. We can then analyze any photos or video footage of the crash site. We will look into the truck driver’s driving history and figure out how many hours the trucker had driven and when their break was before the accident. We will also work with industry experts to investigate and build your case. This includes making sure that the truck trailer did not exceed weight restrictions and was loaded properly, as well as verifying the truck drivers’ background, driving records and criminal background.

While some truck accident cases are easy to find where the fault lies, others can be more complex. This is why we utilize the latest technology and expert guidance to uncover what was happening in the moments leading up to, during, and after the collision. This helps us piece together the entire picture of what caused the accident.

The victims who are killed in truck accidents leave behind their spouses and children. Close relatives can be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver and/or the trucking company for the death of their loved one. Wrongful death suits can be tricky, which is why it is best to have our experienced Tampa Bay Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton on your side. We are a team of caring and compassionate legal professionals who will guide you through the process of recovering from your injuries or losses and recover the full and fair monetary damages to which you are entitled. We know that nothing we do can replace a lost loved one or minimize your injuries, but we can make sure that your financial reward is just so that you can focus on moving on from your pain.

November 29, 2016

Spilled Gravel Causes Cars To Crash On I4, 1 Man In Serious Condition

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 24-year-old man is in serious condition after a multi-vehicle crash on I-4 in Hillsborough County Tuesday morning.

The Florida Highway Patrol believes a truck traveling northbound on the crosstown connector entered the ramp to travel eastbound on I-4 and spilled a large amount of gravel onto the roadway, causing two vehicles to lose control and collide with the barrier wall.

According to the FHP report, the 24-year-old man got out of his vehicle to inspect the damage and was hit by a third vehicle. The impact caused the man to fall over the wall 33 feet to the ground below. He is in serious condition at Tampa General Hospital.

The other two drivers did not suffer any injuries.

Due to the accidents and spilled gravel, the ramp was closed for several hours.

FHP is asking anyone with information on the truck that spilled the gravel to call 813-631-4020.

An auto accident involving a dump truck can be quite serious, as this case shows. Dump trucks are primarily used for transporting materials like gravel, sand, or dirt for construction purposes. A car accident can easily occur when dump trucks spill materials on the roadway. Gravel can break windshields, blow out tires and cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles and crash.

Auto accidents involving trucks can end in serious and sometime fatal injuries. If you or someone you love has been involved in a truck accident in Hillsborough County, our Tampa Bay Truck Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help with your personal injury or wrongful death claim. We firmly believe the at-fault driver should be held responsible for their actions.

July 20, 2016

July Is Wrong Way Driving Awareness Month: Stay Right At Night

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

There were more than 1,400 wrong way crashes in FL in 2015, resulting in 1,454 injuries & 96 fatalities, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Wrong way driving collisions occur when a vehicle has failed to observe a posted traffic sign or pavement marking and proceeds in a lane travelling in the wrong direction.

Motorists are encouraged to stay in the right lane to avoid a crash with a wrong way driver, especially at night and during transitional light times such as dawn and dusk. In most wrong way wrecks, vehicles are hit head-on, resulting in 81 percent of all wrong way fatalities. Head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous crashes, and sadly, result in the most fatalities.

The FLHSMV offers the following safety tips for drivers to avoid a wrong way driving crash:

Stay Right at Night to avoid crashes with wrong way drivers.
Call 911 right away to report wrong way drivers. If you see a wrong way driver approaching, you should reduce your speed right away and pull off the roadway.
Stay alert. Do not drive distracted and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Learn and obey all traffic signs. If you drive past a wrong way sign, turn around immediately. When you see a posted red sign, think about what red traffic sign colors are for: “Stop.” “Do Not Enter.” “Wrong Way.” Orange is used for construction and maintenance warnings. Yellow is for a general warning and advisory of unexpected roadways conditions. Fluorescent Yellow Green is for added emphasis warnings of school, pedestrian and bicycling activities. White/Black are regulatory signs, such as “Left Lane Must Turn Left.” Green signs are for guide or directional information. Blue signs are for motorist services guidance and to identify parking spaces or disabled drivers. Brown signs are reserved for areas of public recreation, cultural and historical significance.