Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Three men in a private car lost their lives early Tuesday after colliding with a semi. The driver of the white car slammed into the back of a double long semi at a high rate of speed on a section of Riviera Maya highway.
The accident happened shortly after 7:00 a.m. south of Playa del Carmen. The driver of the white car was heading toward Tulum when he hit the industrial vehicle.
The double-long semi was in the midst of a highway U-turn at a marked retorno to change direction when the accident happened. The semi was transporting two flatbeds of rebar when it was hit from behind.
The impact caused the entire front of the car to be pushed in toward the cab, killing all three men inside. Numerous firemen, Civil Protection personnel and ambulances were at the scene in response to the emergency 9-1-1 motorist reports.
Paramedics confirmed the death of all three inside the car. Firemen were at the scene to cut the deceased victims free from the wreckage.
Traffick was backed up for kilometers on the southbound section of highway leading from Playa del Carmen. Among the backed-up traffic were emergency service vehicles trying to make their way to the scene. Slow moving holiday cars and thick fog made the journey especially challenging.
On Tuesday morning, highways from Cancun to Riviera Maya were heavy with thick fog due to the late afternoon arrival of a cold front Monday. Authorities are looking into whether or not fog played a factor in the fatal crash.
