Riverside, CA — July 16, 2025, a driver was fatally injured as the result of a rear-end 18-wheeler accident at around midnight on the 91 Freeway.

According to preliminary statements from the California Highway Patrol, the crash happened at the intersection of the 91 Fwy. and La Sierra Avenue.

Investigators said that a car was going westbound along the freeway at the time. Due to reasons unclear right now, the car crashed into the back of an 18-wheeler reportedly parked on the shoulder while the truck driver worker "to fix his lights."

Due to the collision, the driver of the car was killed. No other injuries were reported. Investigations continue.

Commentary

As investigations go forward, people will likely wonder about things like the car's speed and whether or not the driver had been distracted. Those are obviously important factors, and I wouldn't suggest otherwise—those are two things I always look into in serious car accident cases. However, investigations need to go far beyond that, even to things authorities too often ignore: why the truck stopped and whether or not the driver followed the rules when doing so.

The fact of the matter is that a commercial truck stopping on a narrow shoulder like this isn't always avoidable, but it is almost always dangerous. That's why there are rules for truck drivers to follow. For one, the shoulder is for emergencies. If a driver is able to safely put on their hazards, find an exit ramp, and park somewhere that's safe, they have a responsibility to do so. Otherwise, if continuing to be on the road is more risky than parking on the shoulder, pulling over might be the only option.

Secondly, when stopping on the shoulder is necessary, it's important truck drivers put out cones or flares at appropriate intervals behind their vehicle. This is a federal regulation, and truck drivers can be in serious trouble if they fail to mark their vehicles in a timely manner. If they do put out the appropriate markings, and something still goes wrong, it's likely the truck driver truly did all they could to prevent an accident from happening.

Right now, there isn't enough information to say one way or the other if this truck was parked as safely as possible on the shoulder. My goal isn't to speculate, anyway. The point here is that there needs to be an understanding of the full context surrounding this crash. One vehicle isn't more important than the other just because it was the one moving. The victim's loved ones deserve to know all factors are being considered, even if it's just out of an abundance of caution.