Luzerne County, PA — November 14, 2025, one person was killed due to a single-vehicle dump truck accident sometime in the afternoon along Interstate 81.

According to authorities, one person was traveling in a southbound dump truck on I-81 in the vicinity between the exits for Bloomsburg and Stroudsburg when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the dump truck veered off of the right side of the roadway where it crashed into an embankment and overturned, coming to a stop resting on its left side.

The person who had been behind the wheel of the truck reportedly sustained fatal injuries over the course of the accident. Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a dump truck veers off a major highway and overturns, killing its driver, the most pressing question is why the vehicle left the roadway in the first place. Without a second vehicle involved, some people may assume it was just a matter of “driver error,” but experience has shown me that’s often just the surface layer of a much deeper issue.

At this stage, it’s not clear whether the driver fell asleep, suffered a medical emergency, swerved to avoid something in the road, or experienced a mechanical failure. That’s why the investigation has to go beyond the crash site. The truck’s electronic control module (or “black box”) can provide critical insight into what was happening in the moments before the crash—speed, braking, throttle position, and steering inputs. If the driver made no attempt to steer or brake before veering off the road, that could point to fatigue or a medical event.

On the other hand, if the data shows sudden evasive action, investigators should consider whether there was a tire blowout, equipment failure, or obstruction in the roadway. These trucks carry heavy loads and have a high center of gravity, which means even a minor overcorrection can result in a rollover—especially at highway speeds.

But we also have to ask: was the truck in proper working condition to begin with? Was it overloaded? Were the tires, brakes, and steering systems inspected recently and maintained properly? The answers to those questions rest not just with the driver, but with the company responsible for the truck’s upkeep.

I’ve worked on single-vehicle truck cases before, and time after time, what looks like a “driver-only” crash turns out to involve maintenance failures, unrealistic schedules, or poor oversight. That’s why a full investigation—one that includes data downloads, mechanical inspections, and employment records—is the only way to get to the truth.

Key Takeaways:

• The cause of the dump truck’s departure from the roadway is still unknown.
• Black box data and physical evidence will be crucial in determining whether fatigue, mechanical failure, or evasive action played a role.
• Maintenance history and vehicle condition must be examined to rule out equipment-related causes.
• The trucking company’s role in scheduling, inspections, and oversight should be part of the investigation.
• Even in single-vehicle crashes, liability may extend beyond the driver depending on what the evidence shows.