Police are currently investigating an accident that occurred on Tuesday, February 4, at the intersection of Farm-To-Market Road 792 and State Highway 80 in Karnes County.
The accident occurred around 10:46 a.m. when a 2017 Ford F-150 crashed into a tractor-trailer. The Ford was driven by 56-year-old James Dale Shilhavy of Kingsville. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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Shilhavy was driving northbound on FM 792 when he failed to stop, driving right into a tractor-trailer that was driving northeast on State Highway 80.
The driver of the tractor-trailer is 51-year-old Felix Gonzales of San Antonio. Gonzales suffered minor injuries and was able to be treated at the scene and released. Both drivers are reported to have been wearing their seatbelts.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is unsure as to why Shilhavy was unable to stop prior to the accident with the tractor-trailer. They speculate that speed, distraction, or fatigue may have been a factor.
A distraction while driving is anything that takes your eyes or your concentration from the road. The CDC has listed three different types of driving distractions. Visual, manual, and cognitive distractions.
Visual distractions are anything that takes your eyes off the road. Seeing something in the distance, looking at a GPS, or looking at the speedometer are types of things that take your eyes off the road.
Manual distractions are things that require you to take one or both hands off the wheel. Changing the radio station, eating, or getting a drink could be things that require you do remove your hands from the wheel.
Cognitive distractions are those that take your mind off the road. This can be worrying about something, thinking about what is for dinner, or when you space out because you are trying to remember what you forgot to get at the store.
It is also possible to have a combination of all three going on at once, which is an even larger recipe for disaster. The investigation into this accident is currently ongoing.