A semi truck driver killed three people on August 12, 2025, when he made an illegal U-turn on a Florida turnpike. The tragic crash happened when the driver tried to make an illegal U-turn in a turn-around area meant for “official use only.” Video from the cab of the semi truck shows a Chrysler minivan striking the side of the semi truck’s trailer as the trailer blocked all lanes of the highway during the driver’s attempted illegal U-turn. The minivan was crushed when it slammed under the semi truck’s trailer, killing all three people inside.
The truck driver’s decision to attempt such a reckless and dangerous maneuver obviously caused this tragic crash.
Thousands of semi truck crashes happen each year causing untold injuries and property damage. Many result from horrendous and dangerous decisions by drivers. But driver error is just one common cause of such tragic crashes. There are other common causes and there is often more than one.
If you or a loved one was injured in a crash with a semi truck, you deserve to know why it happened and what someone could have done to prevent it. You need the best truck crash attorney near you to help determine the underlying cause of a crash and get you the compensation you deserve for your medical care.
Have you been injured in a semi truck accident?
Call The Law Offices of Peter M. Anderson, Colorado Truck Accident Lawyer for a free consultation
What Are Common Causes of Semi Truck Crashes
Semi truck crashes can happen for a variety of reasons, but there are a handful of common causes that the best truck accident attorneys will know to look for. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for regulating and monitoring the trucking industry across the United States. The FMCSA has conducted several studies over the last two decades to better understand why semi truck accidents occur.
The FMCSA identified three general “critical reasons” for serious truck crashes: Driver, Vehicle, and Environment. Digging into these three critical areas reveals much clearer common causes.
The Driver
The FMCSA found truck drivers caused 87% of semi truck crashes. Generally, crashes caused by the truck driver result from:
- Non-Performance – The driver was fatigued, disabled, or impaired (i.e. drugs or alcohol).
- Recognition – The driver failed to recognize hazards due to distractions like cell phone use, passenger conversations, or general inattention to the roadway.
- Poor Decision Making – The Driver was driving too fast for road conditions or following too close to the vehicle in front of them.
- Poor Performance -The driver overreacted, overcorrected, panicked, or was confronted with a situation that could have been avoided, but was unable to respond properly.
Truck crashes that result from driver conduct are obviously the fault of the driver. However, experienced trucking attorneys know that motor carriers and employers share responsibility for all these “driver” factors. A motor carrier is responsible for the qualification, training, and supervision of every driver that operates under their Department of Transportation (DOT) number.
A motor carriers’ poor conduct contributes to even seemingly individual decisions by a driver like distracted driving or speeding. Technology exists to allow motor carriers to monitor driver actions, including when they use cell phones or alert them when they appear drowsy. Motor carriers and trucking companies will also control the timing and routes drivers are required to take, all of which can contribute to fatigued or distracted driving. Many motor carriers expressly refuse to use the available safety technology due to cost or potential liability when crashes happen.
Vehicle Issues
Problems with the truck itself account for 10% of serious semi truck crashes; with brake issues being the most common vehicle-related cause.
Semi trucks and trailers can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds, which is nearly 20 times the weight of a full-size SUV. Maintenance has to be a priority for truck drivers and motor carriers to protect the public that shares the roads with these massive vehicles.
The FMCSA closely regulates the maintenance and condition of semi trucks, with special attention paid to brakes and tires. Having brakes and tires that are within proper specifications is imperative for controlling a semi truck and trailer on the road. Stopping a semi truck that has poor or misadjusted brakes, or bald tires can be difficult or impossible!
Federal regulations require truck drivers to inspect and document their truck’s condition twice daily. However, the ultimate responsibility for maintaining and repairing trucks and trailers falls to the motor carriers.
Trucking companies must maintain systems for inspecting, repairing, and maintaining all semi trucks, trailers, or other vehicles operating under their DOT number. Trucking companies must also subject their fleets to detailed annual inspections to ensure all components of each commercial motor vehicle is in good working order.
Trucking companies, truck drivers, and any company that provided maintenance or repairs to a semi truck or trailer can share liability for a crash caused by a mechanical issue with a truck’s brakes or tires.
The Environment
The 3% of semi truck crashes caused by environmental factors mainly arise from weather or driving conditions. Driving a tractor-trailer is a complicated and difficult task under ideal conditions. Snow, fog, rain, dust, or sun glare can all contribute to or cause a serious truck crash on Colorado’s highways.
Unsurprisingly, the FMCSA has specific regulations that require commercial truck drivers to take precautions or other actions when weather or other factors affect visibility or traction. Federal and state regulations actually mandate “extreme caution” when drivers encounter conditions affecting visibility or traction. Truck drivers are required to reduce their speed or stop outright when conditions become dangerous.
Who is liable for a truck crash caused by environmental factors? Insurance companies and defense lawyers will argue no one. But experienced Colorado truck crash attorneys know that truck accident injuries that happen due to supposed weather or acts of God are often the result of a trucking company trying to increase profits by pushing drivers too hard or improper training or supervision.
The DOT Is Conducting More Research on Causes of Truck Crashes
From 2016 to 2022 the number of fatal semi truck crashes rose by 26.4 percent. The DOT is in the middle of a massive study to better understand the reasons for such a dramatic increase in fatal semi truck crashes.
The Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP) is collecting data on fatal and serious injury semi truck crashes in 30 states. The CCFP hopes to collect data on at least 2,000 fatal crashes between 2026 and 2028 and publish a comprehensive report by 2029.
Source: US DOT
Once complete, the DOT will maintain a publicly accessible database of all the CCFP crash data. This will be a powerful tool for semi truck crash attorneys, drivers, and motor carriers to better understand the causes of fatal and serious semi truck crashes. And more importantly, to take informed steps to minimize the dangers to the public going forward.
Liability Doesn’t Stop With the Driver
Police arrested the driver in that horrific Florida truck crash, and he will face both criminal and civil liability for his actions. But he was on the road because a trucking company hired him as a driver. We do not yet know what that trucking company did to check his qualifications or skills. But his actions show a reckless disregard for safety and the rules of the road.
Someone also hired that trucking company to transport a load for them. In many cases, they choose the least expensive motor carrier or driver. This creates incentive for motor carriers to hire inexperienced drivers or drivers willing to skirt rules and regulations to make deliveries faster and increase profits. A motor carrier’s profit margins should never endanger the safety of the public.
If you are a victim of a semi truck crash, you need a legal team with the experience and education to win tough commercial truck accident cases. You cannot simply find a car accident attorney near you and expect to get the compensation you deserve for personal injury claims from a complex truck crash.
Attorneys at the Law Offices of Peter M. Anderson have the experience and education necessary to handle complex truck accident claims. Peter M. Anderson is board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, one of only two such qualified in the state of Colorado. He can navigate the complex federal regulations applicable to your injury claims. He has a history of successfully holding negligent truck drivers and trucking companies responsible in serious semi truck crashes. Call the Law Offices of Peter M. Anderson, Colorado Truck Accident Lawyer, at 303-444-1505 today.