Any vehicle accident can cause severe injury, but few collisions are as dangerous as a crash with a big rig. On California roads, the risk is real and constant. Our state carries the nation’s heaviest freight load, and Caltrans crash reporting and the UC Berkeley TIMS/SWITRS system show thousands of large-truck crashes on California’s highway network every year. When a passenger vehicle meets an 18-wheeler, the size and weight difference often leads to catastrophic injuries or fatalities.
As a driver, one of the best ways to prevent an accident is to understand what causes one. We all share California freeways and surface streets with semi-trucks, so safe, predictable driving matters. Below are the most common causes of truck accidents created by drivers of passenger vehicles — and the California rules tied to each one.
1. Driving in Blind Spots
Semi trucks have blind spots that effectively surround the vehicle. The California DMV calls these “No Zones” and warns that truck drivers may not be able to see vehicles riding alongside or tucked behind the trailer. This is a good rule of thumb: if you can’t see the driver’s eyes in the side mirror, they can’t see you. When a driver can’t see you, you are in danger of being involved in an accident. Stay out of blind spots.
Takeaway: Don’t camp beside a trailer. Pass decisively or drop back so you’re visible.
2. Changing Lanes
It takes a semi truck a much greater distance to stop than a typical passenger vehicle. If you need to change lanes and get in front of a truck, do so with at least a few car lengths of distance in between your rear end and the front of the truck. If you have to slam on your brakes, you don’t want to have a semi on your tail.
California law: Vehicle Code § 22107 says you can’t move right or left on a roadway unless it can be done with reasonable safety and you’ve signaled when another car may be affected. Cutting in too close to a semi often gets treated as an unsafe lane change under this rule.
3. Sticking to the Right
Another common cause of accidents between semi trucks and passenger vehicles is a passenger vehicle hanging to the right of a truck while the truck makes a right turn. The California DMV and Commercial Driver Handbook warn that large trucks often need extra room and may swing wide before turning. If you see a trucker activate the vehicle’s blinkers, get out of the way.
Takeaway: Never try to “squeeze by” on the right when a truck is setting up for a right turn.
4. Turning In Front of a Truck
If you see a truck coming at you from the opposite direction, be careful that you don’t misjudge its speed before you turn in front of it. If you are making a left hand turn and a semi is heading your way, your safest option is to wait.
California law: Vehicle Code § 21801 requires drivers turning left to yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard and to keep yielding until it’s safe. In California truck-crash investigations, left-turn misjudgments are a frequent fault point because trucks take longer to stop and can’t swerve like cars can.
5. Getting Sandwiched
You know that nervous feeling you get when you are caught in a lane between two semi trucks? You have good reason to be nervous. This is one of the most common causes of accidents on highways between trucks and passenger vehicles. If you find yourself sandwiched in between two large trucks, do what you can to get behind or ahead of them.
Takeaway: Being boxed in limits your escape options if traffic stops fast or a truck drifts lanes. Create space by safely passing or easing back.
If You Were Hit by a Semi in California
If you or a loved one has been involved in a semi-truck accident in California, you are facing serious medical costs. The injuries in these collisions are often severe and require months of care, rehab, and missed work.
California also gives you a limited window to act. In most cases, the statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of the crash under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1.
We are here to help you hold the at-fault driver and trucking company accountable. Reach out to our California semi-truck accident lawyers today to schedule a free case evaluation. You have the legal right to pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Call now or contact us online to arrange your consultation.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents Inforgraphic
