Watertown, SD — April 1, 2025, one person was injured in an afternoon truck accident on U.S. Route 281 near 175th Street.
Authorities said two semi-trucks collided near the intersection. Emergency crews found one truck in the ditch, while the other was fully blocking the highway. Both had significant front-end damage.
Both drivers were assessed at the scene, but only one was transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries, according to authorities.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Codington County crash. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When two semi-trucks collide at or near an intersection, it typically points to a breakdown in coordination. Either one driver misjudged the other’s speed or path, or one of them ignored a rule of the road. With both trucks sustaining major front-end damage and one ending up in a ditch while the other blocked the highway, it’s clear that this was a high-energy crash that could have been much worse.
Right away, there are a few legal questions that need to be answered. First: Which driver had the right of way? That might seem obvious in a traditional intersection, but when large trucks are involved, things can get complicated. Did one truck try to turn or cross the intersection without confirming it was clear? Was visibility limited? Was speed a factor? These questions don’t get answered just by looking at where the vehicles ended up. They require reviewing dashcam footage, ECM (black box) data and any traffic signals or signage in the area.
There’s also the matter of reaction time. These trucks take longer to stop and maneuver, and if either driver failed to account for that — due to distraction, fatigue or even just poor training — that can quickly escalate into a situation like this. That’s why driver logs, hours-of-service records and dispatch instructions should all be reviewed as part of any serious investigation.
In crashes involving two commercial vehicles, it’s also important to consider whether either trucking company contributed to the situation behind the scenes. Were drivers running tight schedules? Was one operating on a route they weren’t familiar with or improperly dispatched? These factors often don’t show up in the initial police report, but in my experience, they’re exactly where the story usually starts.
Ultimately, a crash like this serves as a reminder that even highly trained, professional drivers can make mistakes, but when they do, the margin for error is razor thin. Getting to the bottom of what happened means looking at more than just who hit whom. It means asking whether both drivers — and both companies — did everything they were supposed to do to avoid ending up in each other’s path.
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