At least four people died and 25 injured when a bus ran through a red light and slammed into a tractor trailer in Florida. 

The truck driver and three others died. The truck/bus crash happened south of Tallahassee at a busy intersection in Wakulla County.

Local media reported that the driver of the tractor trailer was 55-year-old Gordon A. Sheets and the driver of the bus was 56-year-old Elie Dupiche, of Belle Glade, Florida.

The bus was carrying 34 adults and children when it apparently rad a flashing red light and stop sign. The bus hit just behind the driver’s door of the truck and then spun around and it it again. Both vehicles were on fire when sheriffs’ deputies arrived.

Several deputies risked their lives as they got onto the fiery bus and pulled injured passengers out.

Our View

All of our truck and bus crash attorneys in Virginia send our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. We also would like to commend the first responders in this case who risked severe injury and death to save lives.

While we do not yet know the cause of this fatal crash, it appears that distracted driving could be a factor. After all, if one does not see a flashing red light and a stop sign at an intersection, clearly the driver is not paying attention to the road. Another possibility is that the bus driver fell asleep.

All drivers should remember the dangers of distracted driving and always keep their eyes focused on the road. We have written an in-depth legal report on the Risks Associated with Distracted Driving that could be useful if you have been in an accident with a distracted driver. Distracted driver lawsuits can result in sizable settlements when it can be proven in court that the driver acted negligently.