Berks County, PA — December 11, 2024, one person was injured as the result of a semi-truck accident at around 4:40 p.m. on Route 222.

Preliminary information about the accident says that it took place in the area of Hilltop Road along southbound lanes.

According to officials, a tractor-trailer approaching traffic was allegedly going too fast. As a result, officials say the truck jackknifed, crossed into southbound lanes, and crashed into an oncoming car. The driver of that vehicle, who was not identified, reportedly sustained serious injuries.

There were no other reported injuries. Authorities say they cited the 18-wheeler driver for careless driving. Additional details about the accident.

Commentary

When folks hear that a semi-truck jackknifed and slammed into an oncoming car, they might chalk it up to bad luck or poor road conditions. But accidents like this don’t usually come out of nowhere. They come from a series of decisions—some made in the moment, others long before the truck ever hit the road.

The Big Question: Why Was the Truck Going Too Fast?

According to reports, the truck was “approaching traffic” and allegedly going too fast for the conditions. That’s what caused it to jackknife, veer across lanes, and hit an oncoming car. The driver of that car suffered serious injuries, and police cited the trucker for careless driving. But what that citation doesn’t answer is why the truck was speeding to begin with.

Was the driver distracted? Tired? Was traffic slowing down faster than expected? Was the truck empty or carrying a heavy load that made it harder to stop? Those are details that don’t just help explain what happened—they help determine who should be held responsible.

Crashes Like This Aren’t Just Driver Errors

Now, it might sound like this crash was just a matter of one driver going too fast, but in my experience, there’s often more to it. When a big rig jackknifes, that’s not always just on the person behind the wheel. In many cases, we’ve found that trucking companies put drivers in impossible situations—tight delivery schedules, poor equipment maintenance, or unrealistic expectations.

That’s why a full investigation needs to go beyond the police citation and look at:

• Black box (ECM) data to show speed, braking, and steering in the moments before the crash.
• Driver logs to see how long the driver had been on duty and whether fatigue might have played a role.
• Company records to determine whether the truck was properly maintained and whether the driver was trained for emergency situations like this.

Without that, we’re only seeing part of the picture.

Serious Injuries Demand Serious Answers

When someone gets seriously hurt in a crash like this, they deserve more than a traffic ticket explanation. They deserve a full account of how and why a commercial vehicle lost control—and whether that crash could have been prevented.

Key Takeaways

• Black box data, driver hours, and maintenance records are crucial to understanding how the crash happened.
• Company policies and driver pressure often play a role in situations where speed and control are issues.
• Full accountability requires looking at all contributing factors—not just what happened at the moment of impact.