2 Florida car accidents injure 16, kill 1

A series of car accidents in Florida have resulted in numerous injuries and one death. The accidents mark the fourth and fifth wrecks near the same road in two days. They follow a crash that left four people dead. That fatal accident occurred when a 17-year-old driver lost control of his SUV, causing the vehicle to flip. Six of the eight passengers were thrown from the vehicle, and four of them were killed.

The first serious car accident occurred on Oct. 9, when a van overturned while driving on I-75. The 61-year-old driver was killed in the wreck, while two young children riding in the vehicle sustained severe injuries.

One child was taken to the hospital where she remained in serious condition. The other child was taken by helicopter to receive medical treatment. He was originally in critical condition but his condition was bumped up to serious soon after arriving at the hospital. The Florida Highway Patrol has not determined whether the driver or either of the children was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

The second car wreck, which involved 11 cars, occurred several hours after the first on I-75. The Florida Highway Patrol has not determined the cause of the accident, but the matter is currently under investigation. A police representative said that eight people were hospitalized with minor injuries. Six other individuals were injured, the representative said, but declined to be treated. According to the representative, no trauma alerts were issued following the crash.

Sadly, accidents like these happen all too often on Florida roads. Hopefully their tragic outcomes will serve as stark reminders to drivers throughout the state of the need to drive safely and with caution at all times.

Source: Ocala.com, "Two wrecks on I-75 leave one dead, 16 injured," Joe Callahan, Oct. 9, 2011