Dallas, TX — February 24, 2025, One person was injured following a car accident that occurred at around 1:01 A.M. on Dallas N. Tollway.

Authorities are investigating after a single-vehicle car accident occurred on the Dallas North Tollway early Monday morning. According to reports, a Lincoln MKZ operated by Nicholas Van was traveling on the Dallas North Tollway at an unsafe speed when the vehicle lost control for unknown reasons and struck a concrete barrier.

When first responders arrived they transported Van to the hospital in serious condition, his condition is unknown. It does not appear that any other vehicles were involved in the crash, and the status of the investigation is unknown.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a vehicle loses control on a major tollway and strikes a fixed object, it’s easy to blame speed alone. But speed is often just one factor—sometimes it amplifies another problem rather than causing the crash by itself. Without a thorough investigation, the real reasons can stay hidden behind assumptions.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
With no witnesses named and no clear explanation yet, it’s critical that investigators reconstruct the vehicle’s movements leading up to the impact. Was the car weaving or drifting? Did the driver make a sudden correction or brake hard before losing control? A proper analysis should include skid mark measurements, impact angle review, and a detailed timeline of events. Single-vehicle crashes often receive less scrutiny than multi-car collisions, but they’re no less complex—and sometimes even more difficult to understand without a methodical approach.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
When a car traveling at high speed veers off-course without outside interference, it’s worth asking whether a system failure played a role. A steering or suspension issue, sudden brake failure, or tire blowout could easily cause a crash that looks like driver error. The Lincoln MKZ is packed with electronic driving aids, and if any of those malfunctioned, the driver may have lost control through no fault of their own. These are not the kinds of problems that show up in a quick roadside assessment—they need a full mechanical inspection.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
Modern vehicles record a lot of detail in the seconds before a crash. Was the driver accelerating or braking? Was there a sudden steering change or loss of traction? These answers are buried in the car’s control modules and can tell a far more accurate story than visual damage alone. Additionally, phone records and GPS data might provide clues to distraction or erratic path changes. If this data isn’t retrieved and analyzed, the investigation could settle on the most convenient explanation rather than the correct one.

Single-vehicle crashes are often written off as driver error, especially when speed is mentioned. But that doesn’t mean the full story is that simple. Digging deeper can reveal causes that aren’t obvious—and sometimes, not the driver’s fault at all.

Takeaways:

• A full reconstruction is needed in single-vehicle crashes, especially when speed is involved.
• Possible steering, brake, or suspension failures should be ruled out with proper inspections.
• Vehicle data can uncover critical pre-crash details that visual evidence cannot.