Driver Flees Fatal Accident Scene Involving Tractor-Trailer

One thing Florida drivers should always be aware of, regardless of the vehicle one is driving or the reason they are on the road, is that leaving the scene of an auto accident is a crime. This is true whether the damage done was to property or to another person. In early April 2025, a driver on I-75 in Hillsborough County fled the scene of an accident after his pickup truck struck and killed a man who was assisting with a broken-down tractor-trailer. He was apprehended not far away, but unfortunately, this scenario is all too common.

Rules of the Road

In Florida and every other U.S. state, a road user has certain duties they must uphold while using the state’s roadways, with specialized requirements every driver must comply with in the event of a crash. If a person is involved in an accident, they must stop their vehicle and exit, providing all requested information to the other driver or drivers involved and to law enforcement. This does not mean admitting fault; rather, if you are asked for your insurance information, Florida generally requires that you give it.

If an accident has caused injury or death to another person, all these same duties are required, but the other driver/s may also be required to render “reasonable assistance” to anyone severely injured or who they believe has passed away. In the Hillsborough County accident, the deceased person was standing on the shoulder of the road, next to the tractor-trailer cab; it is reasonable to think that the fleeing driver would have noticed either striking the person or causing damage to the cab, both of which apparently happened.

May Lead To Civil Damages

When a private citizen flees the scene of an accident, they are usually found and charged with a crime. If a tractor-trailer or other type of commercial driver flees the scene of an accident, they would also face criminal charges, but in addition, their actions may unintentionally make it easier for a plaintiff to hold them (and/or their employer) civilly liable for the harm they have suffered. The reason why lies in a legal concept known as negligence per se.

Negligence per se is a legal concept that holds that if a person breaks a law by injuring a member of that law’s protected class, a court may find them negligent as a matter of law – in other words, the plaintiff does not need to prove it further, which can save considerable time and trouble. If a tractor-trailer driver flees the scene of an accident, and that is shown to have caused tangible injury to another person, the driver is automatically considered negligent.

Contact A Tampa Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney

While the pickup driver was ultimately apprehended and charged criminally in Hillsborough County, not every case like this ends well. A Tampa tractor-trailer accident attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group can help answer your questions about the legal process if something similar has happened to you. We are here to help – call us today to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

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