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A male passenger and two sisters were involved in a fatal car accident early Sunday morning. The car was traveling the wrong way on Interstate 275. This crash makes the fourth this year on that same stretch of highway as told by the Highway Patrol in Florida. Sunday’s crash increased the number of fatalities this year on that stretch to 10 and an increase of Wrong Way Crashes. Russ Rader, a spokesperson for a non-profit group located in Virginia, used the word “clusters” to describe the number of auto accidents and their frequency. Rader’s group, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, works to reduce the number of fatalities, damage, and injuries that occur from highway crashes.
Other Accidents In the Cluster
Earlier this year in February another accident occurred where there were five fatalities. This happened when 28 year old Daniel Morris collided with a Hyundai on the same stretch of I-275. The Hyundai’s occupants were four fraternity brothers from South Florida University. Later the same month, a fatality from an auto accident occurred where an Enterprise truck was struck by 25 year old Chase Leveille. The men driving the Enterprise truck were injured.
Hospitalization and minor injuries occurred to the two ambulance attendants who collided with Edward Duran. Duran lost his life in the accident. He was traveling against traffic when the collision occurred last month. The most recent accident involving Gabrielle Lanier, who was 33, and her sister Lakritra Lanier, age 31, occurred around 6 a.m. The passenger John Pierson, age 26, was from Riverview. Gabrielle was driving south in a northbound lane where the Honda collided with a tractor-trailer head on. They are unsure as to why Gabrielle would make a U-turn and continue to head in the wrong direction. Lakritra was mother to five children and a student in nursing school. Gabrielle was a mother to four.
Consequences of Impaired Driving
Steve Gaskins, the spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol, had brief comments regarding the four wrong-way crashes. The drivers would make a U-turn on I-275, and in doing this, continued down the wrong way causing a collision with oncoming traffic. The prior three auto accidents involved the drivers being impaired. This impairment was confirmed with toxicology reports with either traces of alcohol or drugs in their systems. The fourth accident’s toxicology has yet to be determined. Many driving accidents where intoxication is the case do not end in fatality. However, over the years, most wrong-way collisions have ended with fatalities as Tampa has witnessed.