Plano, TX — December 18, 2024, one person was injured in a car accident at about 9:50 p.m. on northbound Dallas North Tollway.
A preliminary accident report indicates a 2019 Dodge Ram crashed into a 2014 Ford F-150 north of Headquarters Drive after coming upon another vehicle disabled in traffic.
A passenger in the Dodge suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to the report. The 43-year-old woman’s name has not been made public yet.
The report does not include any information about the driver of the Dodge, while the Ford driver was not injured.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Collin County crash.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about a crash like this, my first thought is that I hope the injured passenger and her family receive the answers they need. A high-speed collision on a major tollway, especially one involving a vehicle reportedly disabled in traffic, raises several important questions. While early reports suggest that the Dodge Ram crashed into the Ford F-150 after coming upon the disabled vehicle, that doesn’t explain why the crash happened or whether it could have been avoided. To get a clear understanding of what occurred on the Dallas North Tollway, we need to ask three critical questions.
First, did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? A collision involving a disabled vehicle in an active traffic lane should trigger a full accident reconstruction. Did investigators determine how long the vehicle had been disabled and whether its emergency signals or hazard lights were active? Were flares, cones or warning devices deployed? Was visibility in that area adequate, and were the road conditions such that the Dodge driver had enough time to react? A full investigation should also include interviews with all involved drivers and any available witnesses to build a timeline of events.
Second, has anyone considered whether a vehicle defect might have contributed to the crash? Both the Dodge Ram and the Ford F-150 should be preserved for inspection. For the Dodge, it’s important to determine whether the brakes, steering or forward-collision avoidance systems were functioning properly. These are crucial issues that often go unexplored unless someone specifically calls for a forensic examination.
Finally, has all the electronic data related to the crash been collected? The Dodge Ram’s engine control module may hold valuable information about the driver’s speed, braking input, and throttle response before impact. If the Ford was equipped with similar systems, its data might confirm whether the vehicle was slowing or came to a sudden stop. Additionally, tollway cameras, dashcams or nearby surveillance systems may have captured the incident. This type of digital evidence is key to understanding the sequence of events, but it must be retrieved quickly before it is overwritten or lost.
A crash like this deserves a full and careful investigation. A woman was seriously injured, and the conditions leading up to the impact remain unclear. Whether the collision was the result of a mechanical failure, a lapse in communication or something else entirely, the only way to find out is by asking the right questions and preserving the right evidence. That’s how we provide the clarity and accountability that those affected by the crash deserve.
