Harrison County, TX — October 28, 2024, Jennifer Rivas was injured in a truck accident at about 9:50 p.m. on eastbound Interstate 20.

Authorities said a 2023 Peterbilt semi-truck was driving too fast before it crashed into a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac near Jonesville.

Ford driver Jennifer Estefania Rivas, 27, suffered suspected serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver, who was not injured in the crash, was cited for speeding, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Harrison County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I see that a truck driver was cited for speeding after a crash, my first thought is that this may have been a preventable wreck. Commercial truck drivers are required to follow stricter safety regulations than other motorists precisely because the size and weight of their vehicles make speeding so dangerous. A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh 20 to 30 times as much as a passenger vehicle, meaning it takes far longer to stop and causes much more damage in a crash.

The fact that authorities issued a citation suggests they determined that excessive speed was a key factor. But that raises another question: was the truck driver simply being reckless, or was there pressure from their employer to meet an unrealistic deadline? In my experience, some trucking companies create schedules that push drivers to speed, whether through direct pressure or by making it clear that drivers who don’t deliver on time will lose out on future work. If that played a role here, then responsibility for this crash might not stop with just the driver.

Another thing to consider is whether the truck driver had a history of unsafe driving. Was this their first offense, or were there previous violations that should have raised red flags? A thorough investigation should include checking the driver’s record, looking at black box data from the truck and reviewing any available dashcam footage to get a full picture of what happened.

At this point, it seems clear that speeding contributed to this crash, but what’s less clear is why the driver was going too fast in the first place. If investigators stop at the citation without digging deeper, they may overlook critical factors that could help prevent crashes like this in the future.