Eight dead and dozens injured when bus carrying farm workers crashes and rolls over in Florida

At least eight people died and eight others were seriously injured when a bus carrying dozens of workers on their way to a farm crashed and overturned in Florida on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The bus was traveling west on State Route 40 on its way to a watermelon farm and carrying 53 workers when a Ford Ranger headed in the opposite direction on the same road. A witness told officers at the scene that the Ford moved into the westbound lane.

The two vehicles collided “sideways,” according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The bus then crashed onto the shoulder of the road, struck a fence and two trees and rolled over, deputies said.

In addition to the eight people killed and eight in critical condition, another 10 had serious injuries and at least 25 bus occupants had minor injuries. About 40 people were transported to hospitals, the highway patrol said in a statement.

The bus workers worked for a private company and were on their way to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, Florida, about 20 miles from Ocala, when the accident occurred around 6:35 a.m. The business owner was also on the bus and transported to a hospital. The bus was a 2010 international bus, the highway patrol said.

The tragedy caused the temporary closure of part of a highway in Marion County, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. post on social media.

Transport accidents are the leading cause of death for agricultural workers

Tuesday’s deadly accident is the latest to claim the lives of farmworkers in the US. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transportation accidents were the leading main cause of death for agricultural workers in 2021. These accidents include road collisions and incidents such as tractor rollovers.

Eight people died Feb. 23 in California when a van carrying farm workers and a pickup truck collided, the Associated Press reported. Only two people in the van were wearing seat belts, authorities said.

2016 Accident Investigation: Accident in Florida reveals problems in transporting rural workers; fatigue is a factor

In July 2016, another accident in Florida involving a bus carrying migrant farm workers killed four people. Federal investigators said gaps in safety regulations were at play in the crash. It was caused by a bus driver who failed to stop at an intersection and who was likely tired after harvesting, authorities said.

This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Bus accident in Florida kills 8 farmworkers and injures dozens of others