Bonne Terre, MO (August 7, 2026) – A 16-year-old boy was killed on Thursday evening, August 6, in a fiery collision on US-67 at Shannon Road. It happened around 4:55 p.m.
The teen, driving a pickup truck, had been stopped on Shannon Road waiting to cross US-67 when he failed to see an oncoming SUV and drove into its path, according to a preliminary report. The front of the SUV struck the left side of the pickup, and both vehicles crossed into the opposite lane and went down an embankment off the road, where they caught fire.
The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV, a 45-year-old woman, was seriously injured and taken to a hospital by ambulance. The cause of the wreck remains under investigation.
Our condolences go out to the teen’s family and loved ones, and we hope for a full recovery for the other driver.
Why Are Highway Crossings So Challenging for Newer Drivers?
Crossing a busy highway from a side road is one of the more demanding maneuvers a driver can face, especially for a newer or less experienced driver. A vehicle waiting to cross has to judge the speed of oncoming traffic in both directions accurately, and misjudging that gap by even a second can put a driver directly in the path of a car or truck already close by.
When a vehicle goes off the roadway and down an embankment, the risk of a fire afterward increases, since damage to the fuel system or electrical components can ignite in ways that are less common when a vehicle stays on flat pavement. Fires that start after a vehicle leaves the road can also make rescue efforts more urgent and more difficult.
Teen drivers, in particular, benefit from extra practice at uncontrolled intersections and busy highway crossings before driving independently, since these moments require quick judgment that comes with experience. Supervised practice in a variety of traffic conditions remains one of the most effective ways to build that judgment over time.
