1994 — July 3, Tractor Trailer broadsides Pickup Truck near Snyder, west TX — 11
— 11 Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, TX. “July 3 Marks Tenth Anniversary…46 Died.” 7-3-2004.
— 11 Hutchinson News, KS. “Carnage on Texas highways…31 dead…accidents.” 7-4-1994, 13.
— 11 Mexia Daily News, TX. “Texas has bloody traffic day.” 7-5-1994, 1.
— 11 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. FARS 1975-2010 Fatality Analysis.
Narrative Information
July 4, AP: “Weatherford, Texas (AP) In one of the bloodiest days ever on Texas highways, 31 people died in three separate crashes Sunday…Eleven people died in…[a] collision…involving a tractor-trailer near the West Texas town of Snyder…
“…11 people were killed and six injured when a tractor-trailer rig slammed broadside into a pickup truck with three adults in the cab and 12 children crowded into its open bed, Cox said. The accident occurred near Snyder, 210 miles west of Fort Worth.
“Three children, ages 5 to 12, were flown 90 miles to the University Medical Center in Lubbock,
where they were in critical condition Sunday afternoon, a nursing supervisor said. All of the dead and most of the injured were related, Cox said. One person was in serious condition with bruises, lacerations and a possible head injury, a Cogdell Memorial Hospital spokeswoman said.
“The state’s single deadliest traffic accident occurred on March 14,1940, when a train hit a truck at a Hidalgo County railroad crossing, killing 29 people. The deadliest day on Texas roads was Christmas Eve 1975 when 42 people were killed. On Dec. 19, 1981, 41 people died on the state’s highways.” (Associated Press. “Carnage on Texas highways…31 dead…accidents.” Hutchinson News, KS. 7-4-1994, 13.)
July 5: “….In one accident, 12 children were piled into the open bed of a pickup truck, a violation of Texas law….The driver of a pickup truck that crashed near Snyder failed to yield the right of way to one truck-tractor towing another.” (Kerrville Daily Times, TX. “Accidents take toll on Texas highways.” 7-5-1994, 1.)
July 5: “….The family was traveling from Snyder to Loraine when the accident occurred…” (Mexia Daily News, TX. “Texas has bloody traffic day.” 7-5-1994, 1.)
July 3, 2004: “….eight children and three adults died when their pickup truck was hit by the cab of an 18-wheeler. The 27-year-old pickup truck driver apparently had failed to yield the right of way as he attempted to pull onto a highway near Snyder….” (Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, TX. “July 3 Marks Tenth Anniversary of Texas’ Deadliest Traffic Day, 46 Died.” 7-3-2004.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Carnage on Texas highways leaves 31 dead in three separate accidents.” Hutchinson News, KS. 7-4-1994, 13. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/hutchinson-news/1994-07-04/page-13/
Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, TX. “July 3 Marks Tenth Anniversary of Texas’ Deadliest Traffic Day, 46 Died.” 7-3-2004. At: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1164835/posts
Kerrville Daily Times, TX. “Accidents take toll on Texas highways.” 7-5-1994, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/kerrville-daily-times/1994-07-05/page-1/
Mexia Daily News, TX. “Texas has bloody traffic day.” 7-5-1994, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/the-mexia-daily-news/1994-07-05/page-1/
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Partial Data Dump of Crashes Involving 10 or More Fatalities, by Year, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 1975-2009 Final and 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: NHTSA, pdf file provided to Wayne Blanchard, 1-26-2012.