You can begin the long drive by heading south on Interstate 65 out of Jeffersonville. About 600 miles and 10 hours later, if you have made the proper highway changes, you will come to Colleton County, South Carolina.

The rural area is where a recent tractor-trailer accident resulted in four deaths, as well as extensive injuries to a pair of motorists. The 6 people had been driving in a car on an interstate there when the big rig reportedly slammed into their vehicle from behind.

Both the car and 18-wheeler then veered off of the highway and into an adjacent woods. A news articlestated that the big truck "came to rest on top of the car."

Three children and a woman were sitting in the back seat of the vehicle at the time of the 4 a.m. crash. They were all crushed to death, according to the report.

The driver and a passenger in the front seat were trapped and had to be freed by rescuers. They are alive, but have been hospitalized with "extensive injuries."

Law enforcement officials did not give a reason why the truck rear-ended the car. But in many similar cases, the truck driver is fatigued and not as alert as needed to be safe. In other situations, the trucker is distracted and not paying sufficient attention to the roadway and other vehicles.

In both instances, the people who pay the heaviest price are those who are unfortunate enough to be in nearby vehicles.

Truck accident injury victims can often pursue compensation from both the truck driver and the employer. You can speak with a Jeffersonville personal injury attorney about options in your case.