A chain-reaction crash involving 10 vehicles, including a semi-truck, left six people injured Wednesday afternoon and shut down westbound Interstate 70 near Interstate 270 in St. Louis County, Missouri.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash sequence began when an earlier collision partially blocked the left lane of I-70. As drivers attempted to avoid the wreckage, a series of rear-end crashes unfolded. One of the chains began when a semi-truck rear-ended a Dodge Hornet, pushing it into several other vehicles and causing additional collisions. The Hornet’s driver, a 22-year-old woman from St. Charles, suffered serious injuries, while five others were also hospitalized with minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
Whenever I hear about chain-reaction crashes involving semi-trucks, I think about how essential it is for commercial drivers to maintain safe following distances and remain prepared for sudden traffic changes. In my experience, crashes like this often come down to whether the truck driver was paying close enough attention to stop or slow when traffic ahead had already become unstable.
Could Distraction or Fatigue Have Prevented the Semi-Truck Driver From Reacting in Time?
In chain-reaction collisions, reaction time is everything. When a semi-truck is unable to stop in time and contributes to a growing pileup, it’s important to ask whether the driver was fully alert and prepared to respond to rapidly changing conditions.
Distraction and fatigue are two of the most common culprits in these situations. A momentary lapse, whether caused by a cell phone, on-board system, or simply zoning out during a long drive, can make the difference between avoiding a crash and becoming part of one. Investigators should closely review the truck driver's hours-of-service logs, electronic logging device (ELD) data, and any dash cam or in-cab footage to determine whether distraction or fatigue affected their ability to react when traffic slowed or stopped ahead.
Could Mechanical Issues Have Limited the Truck’s Ability to Stop?
While driver awareness is critical, investigators should also consider whether mechanical issues played a role in the semi-truck’s inability to avoid the vehicles in front of it. Problems with brakes, tires, or other essential systems can significantly extend stopping distance, especially at highway speeds.
A thorough inspection of the semi-truck should be conducted to assess the condition of its braking system, tires, and other mechanical components. Investigators should also review maintenance records to confirm that the truck was properly maintained and capable of responding to a sudden traffic emergency.
Key Evidence That Should Be Reviewed
To fully understand what happened during this chain-reaction crash, investigators should collect Engine Control Module (ECM) data from the semi-truck, which can provide important information about the truck’s speed, throttle input, and braking activity before impact. Physical evidence from the scene, such as skid marks, vehicle positions, and debris patterns, will also help reconstruct the timeline and dynamics of the crash. Dash cam footage could also provide further insight.
Why Every Detail Deserves Careful Examination
From my experience, chain-reaction crashes involving semi-trucks often result from a combination of factors, including driver inattention and mechanical issues. Whether this crash was the result of just one or a combination of these issues, a thorough investigation is the only way to uncover the full picture and get these answers.