ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Three drivers rushed to area hospitals. All of them with serious or life-threatening injuries after FHP says three major accidents happened early this morning on I-95.
Action News is told the first occurred after 23-year-old Jennifer Edwards of St. Augustine slammed her car into the back of a hazmat truck -- disabling her vehicle. She got out and went to the shoulder.
FHP says a second car didn't see the first, swerved to miss and hit Edwards on the side of the road.
"Subsequent to that collision, another semi came along -- because of the disabled car --struck the rear and destroyed that car," said Lt. Justin Asbury.
Bill Bishop with AAA says while the woman was right to get out of that car, she should have gotten farther away.
"You need to be, I'd say, 50-100 feet minimum off the road. Up in the trees if you can get some protection," Bishop said.
FHP says several smaller accidents happened as a result of the major ones. A big problem was it was dark and cars couldn't see the crashes until it was too late.
Bishop says every driver should have supplies in their trunk for that reason.
"Everybody is recommended to carry three different types of warning devices. They have the red triangles that you'll see often times behind a semi if they are broken down off the side of the road. They recommend you have three of them. Put them at 100, 200 and 300 feet."
Action News has learned Edwards worked at Whiskey River in Jacksonville and has a 3-year-old son. She was taken to Orange Park Medical Center in critical condition.
Jolie Lynn Peterson Hoyt, 32, of Orlando was also taken to Orange Park Medical Center in critical condition.
James Nealy Harris, 38, of Palm Coast, was taken to Baptist Medical Center -South with serious injuries.
AAA also recommends every driver carry a flashlight, fire extinguisher and first aid kit. They also urge not to out-drive your headlights. They say they work fine going 40-60 mph, but at 90 they almost can't keep up and you can't see as far ahead.
