Photo: (MCFR)
A 40-year-old man was killed and another driver seriously injured in a fiery head-on crash on State Road 710 in Martin County early Sunday morning, marking the latest deadly wreck on a stretch of highway that has raised growing safety concerns.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened near Silver Fox Lane in Indiantown. Investigators say the driver of a Kia crossed the center line and collided head-on with a Toyota Tundra.
The impact caused the Kia to burst into flames. Martin County Fire Rescue crews quickly extinguished the fire, but the 40-year-old driver could not be saved.
The driver of the Toyota was airlifted to a trauma center with serious injuries. As of Monday evening, authorities had not released the driver’s name or provided an update on his condition.
The crash occurred just minutes from Martin County Fire Rescue Station 24, where a specialized response team was recently created to handle the growing number of major crashes along State Road 710.
“It’s very challenging because obviously, any kind of trauma, any kind of death, especially over the holidays,” said Martin County Fire Rescue District Chief Joshua Shell.
State Road 710 connects Martin and Okeechobee counties and remains a two-lane highway for much of its length, with little room for error.
“710 has historically been known as a dangerous road because it’s a very narrow road,” Shell said. “There’s not a lot of shoulder space, areas to pull over.”
Sunday’s crash is the latest in a series of deadly crashes in Martin County. In the four days leading up to the Independence Day weekend, five people were killed in traffic crashes across the county.
The Florida Department of Transportation plans to improve safety by widening portions of State Road 710 from two lanes to four, adding raised medians and making other roadway improvements. However, most of the project is not expected to break ground until sometime between 2029 and 2031.
As for Sunday’s deadly crash, the Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate what caused the Kia to cross the center line.
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Source: Cbs12
