1 Killed in Dump Truck Accident on State Road 44 in DeLand, FL

Lake County, FL — June 14, 2024, one person was killed following a dump truck accident at around 7:15 a.m. on State Road 44.

According to initial statements from the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened in the area of State Road 44 and Misty Lane, near Pine Lakes.

Investigators said that a 35-year-old DeLand resident was in a vehicle which was going westbound along S.R. 44. While doing so, it appears an eastbound dump truck somehow went left of center, crashing into the passenger vehicle. As a result, the DeLand resident was killed. Other injuries were reportedly minor.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

At this time, the cause of the crash remains unclear. While it’s possible that this could be an unusual, unavoidable crash due to factors like a sudden mechanical failure or a medical emergency, it’s more commonly the result of a driver making a mistake. But even in those more common situations, it’s important to know if those mistakes were all because of one person’s negligence or if a driver’s employer contributed to the accident through their own negligence. Let me explain why I say this.

I’ve handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accidents over the years. It would surprise folks how often a serious accident happened due to a driver’s employer actively encouraging reckless behavior or otherwise allowing it to continue. For example, truck drivers often have strict schedules and quotas to meet, which can lead to them taking unnecessary risks, like driving while tired, speeding, looking at GPS while driving, etc. When drivers feel they be penalized for prioritizing safety over speed, some will inevitably take risks on the road rather than with their livelihood, making a serious crash all but guaranteed.

Additionally, the level of training and supervision provided by an employer is critical. Some companies just want warm bodies behind the wheel as soon as possible, foregoing things like comprehensive training and proper vetting of a driver’s history. As such, they may put drivers on the road who are unprepared for the demands of the job or who have a proven history of making reckless decisions.

Vehicle maintenance is another area that can’t be overlooked. Regular and thorough maintenance checks are vital, and skipping necessary repairs will obviously have consequences. If a company cuts corners on maintenance to save costs, it can lead to mechanical failures that could have been prevented. Analyzing the truck and investigating the company’s maintenance records can reveal whether the truck was in a safe operating condition at the time of the crash.

The challenge with all of this is that these factors, despite being rather common, are not often on the authorities’ radar. Their investigations typically focus on details that are readily apparent at the crash scene. Digging into things like company safety practices, maintenance records, and driver history often only gets attention from more experienced independent accident reconstructionists whose attention isn’t divided by other priorities. Like I said, this all may have been the result of something common and straight-forward or something highly unusual or even unforeseeable. The goal should be to gather as much evidence as possible to let the evidence speak for itself. Otherwise, how could the victim’s loved ones be confident they’re getting the whole story?