1 Killed in Truck Accident on I-96 near Lansing, MI

Lansing, MI — March 4, 2025, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 1:40 p.m. on Interstate 96 near the junction with U.S. Route 127.

Authorities said a Toyota Avalon was headed west on the interstate when it was struck from behind by a semi-truck. The impact knocked the smaller vehicle across the median, where it was hit by another semi-truck.

The driver of the Toyota, a 34-year-old woman from Lansing, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. Her name has not been made public yet.

No other injuries were reported.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a passenger vehicle is struck from behind by an 18-wheeler with enough force to push it into oncoming traffic, there are serious questions that need answering. The most obvious is why the truck driver failed to stop in time.

In rear-end collisions involving semi-trucks, speed, following distance and driver attention are usually the key factors. Trucks take far longer to stop than smaller vehicles, which is why truckers are trained to anticipate slowdowns and maintain enough space to react safely. If this driver didn’t stop in time, was it because they were distracted? Was fatigue a factor? Was the truck equipped with automatic emergency braking, and if so, did it fail or was it even turned on?

Beyond that, investigators should consider road and traffic conditions at the time of the crash. Was there congestion that forced sudden braking? Was weather a factor? These details matter, but they don’t change the fundamental responsibility of a truck driver to maintain control of their vehicle.

The second collision, where the Toyota was pushed into the path of another semi-truck, raises further concerns. Some highway medians are poorly designed and don’t prevent vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic. If the median barriers were inadequate, that could be another contributing factor that deserves scrutiny.

This crash didn’t just happen: it was the result of decisions, conditions or possibly equipment failures that should have been avoided. A proper investigation should go beyond the crash scene and examine every factor, from the truck driver’s behavior to the safety features of their vehicle. Without that level of scrutiny, the real causes of crashes like this may never come to light.