Kansas City, KS — November 13, 2024, one man was injured in a truck accident about 8:15 a.m. on Interstate 635.
Authorities said a semi-truck was merging onto northbound I-635 near Interstate 70 when its load shifted.
The truck crossed all lanes of traffic, hitting a barrier and a Honda Accord, according to authorities. It ended up jackknifed across several lanes of the rain-slicked highway.
The 31-year-old man who had been driving the Honda was hospitalized with serious injuries, according to authorities. The truck driver was not injured.
Authorities have not identified the drivers or released any more information about the crash.
The accident is still being investigated.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
There isn’t a lot of information about this crash at this point, but what authorities have said raises some questions about what went wrong and why. Whenever a truck accident involves a load shift, as reported here, the focus naturally turns to the responsibilities of the driver, the trucking company and potentially even the entity that loaded the cargo. Based on my experience, crashes like this one are rarely as simple as they may seem.
First, let’s discuss the load shift. Trucks are designed to handle heavy cargo, but that comes with strict rules about how loads are distributed and secured. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations require that loads be properly balanced and restrained to prevent movement during transit. When these standards aren’t met, it increases the risk of load shifts that can cause the driver to lose control—especially in adverse conditions like rain-slicked roads.
It’s also important to ask: Who loaded the truck? While drivers are required to inspect their cargo, they’re often picking up preloaded trailers. If a third party handled the loading, their procedures and oversight need scrutiny. For example, were the tie-downs adequate? Did anyone verify the weight distribution before the truck hit the road? These are key questions that should guide the investigation.
The road conditions also play a role. Rain-slicked highways demand heightened caution from drivers. Investigators will need to determine if the truck driver adjusted their speed and driving behavior to account for the weather. If they were driving too fast or making abrupt movements, those actions could have contributed to the crash.
Another critical factor is the truck itself. Was the vehicle in good working order? Faulty equipment like worn brakes or tires could have compounded the driver’s loss of control. Additionally, the truck’s engine control module (ECM)—often called its “black box”—could provide invaluable data about the truck’s speed, braking, and driver inputs leading up to the crash.
Finally, there’s the impact on the injured motorist. The Honda Accord driver was hospitalized with serious injuries, which raises the stakes for finding out what went wrong. If the truck driver was inadequately trained, fatigued, or under pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines, the trucking company’s policies could come under scrutiny.
At this stage, I hope investigators go beyond the crash scene to uncover any underlying issues. That means not just reconstructing the crash, but also examining how the truck was loaded, whether the company provided proper training and oversight and whether equipment maintenance was up to standard. Only by answering these questions can we determine who should be held accountable and bring some closure to the injured driver and his family.
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