On Sunday evening, a tow truck driver traveling on County Road 326 crossed the median and struck an SUV traveling in the opposite direction. The driver of the SUV and his two passengers, all residents of De Leon Springs, were killed by the oncoming truck. The driver of the tow truck was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center and was reported as being in serious condition. Reports also stated that the driver of the tow truck had gone off the shoulder of the road and that it is possible that he over-corrected, causing him to cross the center median and crash into the SUV.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which is responsible for state data about car accidents, reports that there are over 110,000 traffic accidents each year. These accidents are responsible of the the deaths of more that 2,200 annually.
This was a horrific collision. Authorities have not said why the driver of the tow truck crossed the median. If it was due to fatigue, the influence of alcohol or drugs, or distraction, the deaths of the SUV driver and two passengers could have been prevented. The mindset on the road is often very egocentric, with a dangerous dose of arrogance. The mindset should be about the community of travelers and everyone getting where they need to go safely. NHTSA, the federal department in charge of highway safety, has a campaign urging all drivers to share the road, and we need to be part of that by both doing that and encouraging others to, as well.
Source:
http://www.ocala.com/news/20170122/three-dead-1-hospitalized-after-crash-on-cr-326