Palm Beach Gardens, FL — December 19, 2024, one person was injured in a truck accident at about 8:45 a.m. on Interstate 95.
Authorities said a red Toyota was driving south near Donald Ross Road when it lost control and struck a barrier wall on the shoulder before returning to the road and hitting a semi-truck.
The car hit the truck’s trailer, becoming lodged underneath it, according to authorities. The semi-truck jackknifed in the outside lane of the highway.
The Toyota’s driver suffered traumatic injuries in the crash and was taken to a local hospital, authorities said.
No additional information about the crash has been released at this time.
The accident remains under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about a crash like this, one of the first things I think about is the inherent complexity of accidents involving underride collisions with semi-trucks. While the limited information available so far points to the car losing control and striking the truck, it’s critical not to assume the cause or liability without a deeper look into several factors.
For one, underride crashes — where a smaller vehicle becomes lodged underneath a truck or trailer — are often catastrophic because they exploit a vulnerability in passenger vehicle safety systems. The roof of a car isn’t designed to absorb the impact of a collision the way the front or rear crumple zones are. That’s one reason why federal regulations mandate underride guards on trailers. The questions that come to mind in this case include whether the trailer was equipped with a compliant underride guard, and if so, whether that guard functioned as intended during the collision.
From a legal standpoint, the condition of both vehicles before the crash deserves scrutiny. Authorities will need to determine whether the Toyota’s loss of control was purely driver error or influenced by mechanical issues, roadway conditions or even another vehicle’s actions. The same goes for the truck: Was the driver operating safely? Was the trailer properly maintained? Did the truck’s position in the lane give the smaller vehicle enough room to recover safely?
Beyond the vehicles themselves, the design and layout of the roadway are also worth examining. Was the barrier wall designed to minimize secondary impacts? Were there warning signs or other traffic controls in place that could have mitigated this chain of events? Even small design flaws can set the stage for catastrophic accidents.
Finally, a crash like this underscores the importance of a thorough investigation. Gathering the Toyota driver’s medical condition at the time of the crash, examining ECM (electronic control module) data from the semi-truck and reviewing any available surveillance footage or dashcam video are all essential steps. The information authorities uncover will help not just in understanding liability but in identifying opportunities to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Accidents like this are complex events involving overlapping decisions and conditions. The investigation must ensure that all responsible parties — if any — are held accountable and that systemic safety issues are addressed.
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