Piedras Negras Man, Orlando Man, 1 Killed, 1 Injured in 18-wheeler Accident in Frio County, TX
Frio County, TX -- May 24, 2022, a Piedras Negras man and two others were killed in Frio County, TX, due to an accident involving two 18-wheelers.
Preliminary reports said that the crash took place at approximately 1:48 p.m. along US Highway 57 at FM 140.
Authorities said that a 43-year-old man from Piedras Negras, Mexico and a 35-year-old man were in a tractor-trailer going eastbound on the highway. From oncoming lanes, reports say an SUV slowed to make a turn. Behind that SUV, a truck reportedly driven by a 37-year-old Orlando, Florida man hit the brakes, then went into eastbound lanes. There, the two semis crashed and caught fire.
The Mexico man, his passenger, and the Orlando man all sustained fatal injuries. They have yet to be identified. A passenger in the Orlando man's truck reportedly had non-incapacitating injuries.
Exact factors surrounding the crash are still under investigation.
Commentary on Fatal Dual Truck Accident on US 57 in Frio County
With a crash this devastating, it's not unusual for reports to only offer a piece of the larger picture. These can be incredibly complex, and one certainly can't jump to conclusions without more thorough investigations. Even with authorities initially suggesting that following too closely led to all of this, there's no telling what other extenuating circumstances could be at work.
One thing that any truck drivers reading this can appreciate, for example, is that mistakes made by truck drivers are not always entirely up to them. They are often forced to work in unsafe conditions which put them in positions where an accident is bound to happen. Could it be that happened here?
For example, I handled a situation not long ago where a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel after driving for over 20 hours straight. Why did he do something so reckless? As our investigations found, his company would routinely set these ridiculous deadlines for drivers to meet. If they didn't cut corners to meet those deadlines, they risked losing their jobs. It was inevitable someone would get hurt just trying to appease their unreasonable bosses and put food on their family's table.
Again, maybe nothing like that happened here. My point is simply that a crash of this magnitude can't be taken lightly. It's worth understanding why thorough independent investigations are so crucial for the victims and families involved. Three men lost their lives. Don't their loved ones deserve to know they're getting the full story?
[jump]
