A crash involving a tractor-trailer making a U-turn on Highway 98 near Inlet Beach, Florida, left three high school seniors dead and one other critically injured.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when an SUV carrying four 18-year-olds from Massachusetts struck the trailer portion of a semi-truck as the truck was executing a U-turn across the highway. The SUV impacted the side of the trailer and was thrown across the eastbound lanes, eventually coming to rest near a wooded area off the roadway. Two of the SUV’s occupants died at the scene, and two others were transported to Bay Medical Center with critical injuries. One of those passengers later died from their injuries. The semi-truck driver and passenger were not injured. The three killed were identified as Jimmy McIntosh, Hannah Wasserman, and Maisey O’Donnell.
When I hear about a crash involving a semi-truck making a U-turn on a highway, I think about the responsibilities truck drivers have to avoid creating hazards for other drivers—particularly in high-speed areas where passenger vehicles may have little time to react. In my experience, these cases often hinge on whether the truck’s maneuver was performed safely and whether proper precautions were taken.
Could Driver Judgment or Maneuvering Have Contributed to the Crash?
Semi-trucks making U-turns on highways must ensure there is adequate time and space to complete the turn without obstructing lanes of active traffic. In situations like this, investigators need to determine why the tractor-trailer turned at the time that it did.
Reviewing the timing of the U-turn, along with the truck’s position across the highway at the moment of impact, will be key to understanding whether the truck driver’s decision created a dangerous condition that left the SUV occupants with no safe opportunity to avoid the crash.
Could Distraction or Fatigue Have Affected the Truck Driver’s Decision-Making?
In addition to analyzing the execution of the U-turn itself, investigators should examine whether the truck driver was fully alert and attentive when initiating the maneuver. Fatigue and distraction can impair a driver’s ability to accurately judge gaps in traffic or respond appropriately to changing conditions on the roadway.
Driver logbooks, cell phone data, hours-of-service records, and any available in-cab video or electronic logging device (ELD) data can help determine whether fatigue may have played a role in the decision-making process.
What Evidence Should Be Collected?
To fully understand how this crash unfolded, investigators should collect data from the semi-truck’s Engine Control Module (ECM), which can reveal the vehicle’s speed, throttle position, and braking activity at the time of the collision. Dash cam footage may also show how the turn was executed and whether any evasive action was attempted.
Physical evidence at the scene—including impact points, debris patterns, and final vehicle positions—will be critical to reconstructing the sequence of events. Additionally, statements from witnesses or other drivers on the roadway at the time may provide valuable insight into how long the semi was blocking the highway.
Why a Full Investigation Is Crucial
When a semi-truck maneuver like a U-turn results in a fatal crash, understanding how and why that decision was made becomes central to the investigation. From my experience, these cases require careful attention to timing, driver judgment, and vehicle operation. A thorough investigation is the only way to answer these questions.