Truck Crossed Median Before Colliding With Van Carrying Grandmother and Four Grandchildren on Highway 82 in Tift County
TIFT COUNTY, GEORGIA (June 20, 2025) – A grandmother and two of her grandchildren have tragically died in a Tift County truck accident along Highway 82.
Tip County officials are saying that the accident took place on Sunday, June 16. A truck crossed the center median and struck a van that was transporting a grandmother and four of her grandchildren.
Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help all of the victims. Sadly, the grandmother, a 5-year-old girl, and a 2-year-old boy were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Two other grandchildren inside of the van survived their injuries and were transported to a Jacksonville hospital. It remains unclear if the truck driver involved will receive any citations or criminal charges.
A full investigation into the Tift County tragedy remains ongoing.
Liability for Tift County Truck Accidents
Commercial trucks transport the vast majority of goods that are sold every year. They account for roughly two percent of all vehicles on the road, but they are involved in a disproportionate number of serious injury collisions. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, “In 2021, 14 percent of all traffic fatalities involved at least one large truck— 244 persons were fatally injured. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of traffic fatalities involving large trucks increased by 4 percent, from 153 fatalities in 2020.” Trucks pose a number of unique hazards for those in smaller vehicles.
- Trucks have a high ground clearance, which can lead to smaller vehicles becoming trapped underneath trucks in the event of a collision.
- Trucks have large blind spots that can easily obscure the presence of smaller vehicles.
- Trucks can weigh up to 80,000 lbs, thereby making even low-speed collisions potentially catastrophic.
Commercial truck drivers must exercise an abundance of caution to avoid collisions. Many truck accidents involve truck drivers that commit traffic infractions. Pursuant to GA Code § 40-6-48, a vehicle shall be driven entirely within a single lane of traffic and shall not be moved from that lane unless such a movement can be made with reasonable safety. There is a presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that crosses into opposing lanes of traffic and hits another vehicle.
There could potentially be several liable parties for any truck accident. This includes the company responsible for maintaining a truck. Trucks are complex pieces of machinery that require routine maintenance and inspections to operate safely. If the company responsible for maintaining a truck overlooks key actions and this leads to a collision, this may be construed as negligence. In particular, truck drivers are much more likely to lose control if one of their tires experiences a blowout. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any truck accident.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
- The condition of the truck involved should be investigated.
- The employment status of the truck driver involved should be understood.
- Medical records related to injuries should be collected.
It can be difficult to know what to do after any truck accident. This is particularly true if a family loses someone due to the negligence of a truck driver. To make matters worse, the companies responsible for operating trucks tend to do everything in their power to avoid responsibility for any collision. For that reason, it is crucial that all truck accidents resulting in injury are properly investigated by an outside party. When negligence plays a role in a truck crash, affected parties may have recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating Georgia Truck Accidents
We at Butler Kahn extend our deepest condolences to all of the families who have lost loved ones in this horrific Tift County collision. It is our hope that the two surviving children will be able to make a full recovery. This was a preventable tragedy that should not have taken place. Any person that may have more information about this crash should reach out to the authorities.
Do you need more information about a Tift County truck accident? Our legal team can help you get the answers that you are looking for. We are committed to helping accident victims understand their rights and holding truck drivers fully accountable for their wrongful actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 678-940-1444.
