Brooksville, FL — March 15, 2025, one person was killed and two others were injured in a truck accident at about noon on State Road 50/Cortez Boulevard.

Authorities said a Kia K5 was headed east when it turned left toward South Main Street, colliding with a westbound semi-truck.

The three people in the Kia were hospitalized with serious injuries after the crash, according to authorities. A 71-year-old woman died after being admitted to the hospital. The other occupants of the car were the 39-year-old driver and a 49-year-old passenger.

The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Hernando County crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Crashes involving left turns in front of oncoming semi-trucks raise serious concerns about driver judgment, visibility and whether traffic control devices were in place to prevent conflicts. In this case, reports indicate that a Kia K5 attempted a left turn onto South Main Street and collided with a westbound semi-truck on State Road 50, resulting in one fatality and two serious injuries. A full investigation should determine whether this was due to driver error, poor visibility or another contributing factor.

One of the first questions investigators should answer is whether the Kia driver misjudged the truck’s speed and distance. Left turns across busy highways require drivers to accurately assess gaps in traffic, and miscalculations can have deadly consequences, especially when larger commercial vehicles are involved. Reviewing surveillance footage, black box data and witness statements will be critical in determining whether the Kia driver had enough time to complete the turn safely.

Another key factor is whether road design or visibility played a role. Were there obstructions, such as trees, signs or other vehicles, that may have made it harder for the Kia driver to see the approaching truck? Was the intersection controlled by traffic signals or stop signs, and did either driver fail to yield? If visibility issues or unclear traffic controls contributed to the crash, that should be closely examined.

Speed is also an important consideration. Large trucks require significantly more distance to stop than passenger vehicles. If the semi-truck was traveling at or above the speed limit, did that limit the driver’s ability to avoid the collision? Investigators should review black box data from the truck to determine its speed and braking activity before impact.

At this stage, there isn’t enough public information to determine exactly what led to this crash. But if authorities focus only on who hit whom without investigating why the left turn resulted in a collision — whether due to driver misjudgment, poor visibility or road design — they risk missing key details. A thorough investigation should take all possible factors into account to ensure a full understanding of what went happened to provide needed answers to the victims' families.