1 Killed in Truck Accident on I-45 near Huntsville, TX

Walker County, TX — March 4, 2025, one person was killed in a morning truck accident on northbound Interstate 45.

News reports indicate a vehicle drove under a semi-truck near mile marker 131.

One person, whose name has not been made public yet, died in the crash, according to reports.

Authorities have not released any information about the crash near Huntsville at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

A crash where a vehicle ends up underneath a semi-truck — what’s known as an underride collision — raises serious safety concerns. While investigators still have work to do, my experience handling truck accident cases tells me that crashes like this often have preventable elements that demand closer scrutiny.

One of the first questions to ask is how the vehicle ended up beneath the truck. Did the truck change lanes or turn into the smaller vehicle’s path? Or did the smaller vehicle approach from behind, unable to stop in time? These details matter because underride crashes are often survivable if the right safety measures are in place.

This leads to another key issue: was the truck equipped with underride guards? Federal regulations require rear underride guards on most commercial trailers to prevent vehicles from sliding underneath in rear-end collisions. However, side underride guards, which could have helped in a crash like this, are not legally required. The trucking industry has resisted making side guards mandatory, despite evidence showing they save lives. If this truck lacked proper underride protection, that’s something investigators need to examine.

Beyond that, lighting and visibility play a major role in these crashes. Was the truck well-lit and clearly visible at the time of impact? If this happened in low-light conditions or poor weather, a lack of reflective markings or working lights could have been a factor.

Underride collisions often result in severe or fatal injuries, and they highlight gaps in truck safety that don’t get enough attention. A proper investigation should look beyond just driver actions and examine whether the truck itself was designed and maintained in a way that could have prevented this crash from turning deadly.