Dale County, AL — February 12, 2026, one person was killed in a truck accident just after 6 a.m. on U.S. Route 231 near Ozark.

Authorities said a northbound semi-truck left the road and crashed into some trees near mile marker 48.

The driver, whose name has not been made public yet, died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Dale County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a semi-truck leaving the road and crashing into trees, the first question that comes to mind is simple: how does that happen? Tractor-trailers don’t just drift off highways for no reason. Something caused that truck to leave U.S. Route 231 that morning. Until we know what that was, we don’t really understand what happened.

Right now, authorities have said only that a northbound semi-truck left the roadway near mile marker 48 and struck trees just after 6 a.m. The driver died from his injuries. That’s all we’ve been told. What we have not been told is far more important.

It’s not clear whether the truck slowly drifted off the road or suddenly veered. We don’t yet know if the driver attempted to brake. We don’t know if there were skid marks. We don’t know what the weather conditions were at that hour. Each of those facts matters.

When I look at a crash like this, I start with the truck’s electronic data. Most modern commercial trucks have an engine control module, the truck’s “black box.” That system can show speed, throttle position, braking activity and sometimes steering input in the moments before a crash. If the data shows no braking at all, that raises one set of questions. If it shows sudden hard braking and steering, that raises another.

Another key question is distraction. Was the driver using a cell phone? The only way to answer that is by reviewing phone records. Many trucks today also have inward- and outward-facing dash cameras. If this truck had one, it could provide critical information about what was happening inside the cab and on the roadway.

Fatigue is also a real issue in early morning crashes. This happened just after 6 a.m. That doesn’t tell us when the driver started his day. Had he been driving overnight? Was he nearing the end of his allowed hours of service? Driver logbooks, whether electronic or paper, would help answer that. If there were violations of federal hours-of-service rules, that would be important.

Of course, not every crash is caused by driver error. It’s not clear whether a mechanical failure played a role. A blown tire, steering failure or brake malfunction can cause a truck to leave the road. That’s why a proper post-crash inspection of the tractor and trailer is essential. Maintenance records also matter. Was the truck properly serviced? Were there prior reports of mechanical issues?

There is also the possibility of a medical event. We don’t yet know if the driver suffered a sudden health emergency. That’s something investigators typically examine, but the public rarely hears much detail about it.

Road conditions should be examined as well. Was there debris in the roadway? Was the shoulder narrow or uneven? Were there any construction zones nearby? A careful scene inspection and crash reconstruction can answer those questions.

Another layer of investigation involves the trucking company itself. What were its hiring standards? What kind of background checks were done before this driver was put behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound vehicle? What kind of training did he receive? If the driver had a history of crashes, violations or medical concerns, that would be relevant.

I once handled a case where a driver never should have been hired in the first place. The company had every opportunity to review that person’s record and make a safer decision. When companies cut corners in hiring or supervision, the results can be predictable. I’m not saying that happened here. I’m saying we don’t know yet, and that’s exactly why a thorough investigation matters.

Single-vehicle crashes sometimes get less public scrutiny because no other vehicle was directly involved. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t important questions to answer. A truck leaving the road can put other drivers at risk. It can also reveal larger safety problems if the root cause isn’t identified.

Right now, this crash is still under investigation. That’s appropriate. But the real test will be whether investigators dig into the data, preserve the truck, review company records and examine every possible cause. The truth in cases like this usually comes from hard evidence, not assumptions.

Until that work is done, any conclusion about what caused this crash would be speculation. What we do know is that trucks don’t leave the roadway without a reason. The job now is to find that reason, and make sure the answer is based on facts.

Key Takeaways

• A semi-truck leaving the road is a result, not a cause. The key question is why it happened.
• Black box data, dash cameras, phone records and driver logs can reveal critical facts.
• Mechanical failure, fatigue, distraction, medical events and company practices all need to be examined.
• A full investigation is the only way to determine whether this was driver error, equipment failure or something else entirely.