Four Injured in 20-Vehicle Pileup on Interstate 295 in Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, FL — November 27, 2022, four people were injured in a series of crashes involving 20 vehicles on Interstate 295 in Jacksonville.
Authorities say the incidents happened around 1:00 p.m. along southbound I-295 near the Morse Avenue overpass. Preliminary investigation suggests only that an initial multiple-vehicle wreck ultimately triggered five further crashes. A total of twenty vehicles including two commercial semi-trucks were ultimately involved in the pileup.
Two people were extricated from their vehicles by responders. They and two others were taken to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation continues. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Multi-Crash Pileup on I-295 in Jacksonville
Just about any crash can be chaotic, but the chances of that increase considerably when several vehicles--particularly commercial ones--are involved. I hope law enforcement is up to the task of figuring out not only what happened, but who or what is responsible for each crash and their combined result.
I don't mean to insult the hard (and often thankless) work police do. People may just not realize that traffic investigations don't always get much of a local department's limited resources. Because of that many crash scenes, even complex ones, are quickly examined before a "best guess" is recorded and the file is closed. Unless someone looks again for clearer answers, that guess essentially becomes the final word on the matter even if critical details might have been overlooked or evidence was lost. That can make some serious problems if anyone goes looking for answers or help afterward.
To be clear, I'm not saying police will mishandle the Jacksonville investigation--nor am I saying one way or the other what exactly happened near Morse Avenue. The crash might have been caused by something common like driver distraction or speeding, or it's possible something less ordinary like poor road conditions or a vehicular failure was the trigger. Considering several vehicles were involved, it's quite possible that multiple factors played parts.
Every possibility must be considered to ensure vital clues aren't overlooked, which brings me back to my original concern about law enforcement: Unfortunately police can't (or just don't) always properly evaluate all the complexities of a large crash like this. That's why I often advise victims and their families to work with independent experts. Their efforts might find or confirm a simple explanation, but only after thorough investigation can anyone be sure. When all the facts are in, further steps can be worked out.
