Franklin County, MO — July 13, 2025, One person was injured following an 18-wheeler accident that occurred at around 11:20 A.M. on I-44.
According to reports, a Chevy Trax operated by a 42-year-old man was involved in a separate collision on eastbound Interstate 44 near US-50, which caused the vehicle to lose control. An eastbound 18-wheeler applied brakes and began to slide before ultimately striking the Chevy, which caused the semi to leave the road and strike a guardrail before it was struck by a second 18-wheeler.
When first responders arrive on-scene they found the driver of the Chevy seriously injured and transported him to the hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported, and officials have not provided an update on the status of the investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Anytime multiple 18-wheelers are involved in a highway crash, people naturally want to know: was this just a chain reaction no one could avoid, or did someone make a preventable mistake? Based on early reports, it sounds like the driver of a passenger vehicle lost control after an earlier collision, and at least one semi tried to stop but ended up sliding into that vehicle. A second truck then struck the first one. That sequence raises some important questions about how the crash unfolded—and whether any part of it could have been avoided.
For starters, it’s not clear what caused the Chevy Trax to crash in the first place. That matters, because if the initial wreck made it unavoidable for the truckers to react in time, that’s one thing. But if the second phase of the crash was due to delayed braking, unsafe following distances, or poor road awareness by either truck driver, that’s something that deserves scrutiny.
The law doesn’t automatically blame truck drivers just because they were involved, but it also doesn’t excuse them simply for reacting to someone else’s mistake. In situations like this, the key is evidence. Engine control module (ECM) data from both trucks can tell us how fast they were going, how hard they braked, and when those brakes were applied. If there are in-cab or dash cameras, they can shed light on whether the drivers were alert and paying attention or caught off guard.
Another thing worth noting is road conditions. Was the road wet or icy? Were traffic patterns changing due to congestion or debris from the first crash? Those factors might help explain why a fully loaded semi slid so far out of control after hitting the brakes. But again, we can’t know unless that evidence is preserved and analyzed.
One final point: whenever a truck slides out of control and strikes a guardrail—or worse, another truck—there’s always the possibility that the trucking company’s own safety policies played a role. Were the drivers adequately trained for emergency braking? Were they being pushed to make up time on a tight delivery schedule? I’ve handled cases where a company’s internal pressure on drivers was a bigger risk factor than anything that happened on the road.
Key Takeaways:
- The full sequence of events—especially the cause of the initial crash—remains unclear.
- ECM data and dash cam footage will be critical in determining how and when the truck drivers reacted.
- Factors like road conditions, driver attentiveness, and braking distances all play a role in evaluating fault.
- Company training and scheduling policies may also be relevant if driver behavior contributed to the outcome.
- A thorough investigation should focus on whether each link in the chain reaction was truly unavoidable.
