Bear, DE — December 7, 2025, a teen was killed in a truck accident at about 10:40 p.m. on State Route 7/Bear Christiana Road.

Authorities said a semi-truck hauling an empty car-hauler trailer was turning left from East Songsmith Drive when it collided with a northbound Ford Focus.

The Ford driver, a 17-year-old Newark resident, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a young driver losing their life in a collision with an 18-wheeler, they’re bound to wonder: How does something like this happen? Could it have been prevented? And what kind of accountability exists when a large commercial vehicle turns across someone’s path and a life is lost?

In this case, reports say a semi-truck hauling an empty car hauler was turning left from East Songsmith Drive onto Route 7 when it collided with a northbound Ford Focus. The 17-year-old driver of the Focus didn’t survive. What’s missing from the reports — and what really matters in sorting out responsibility — is a clear answer to this: Did the truck turn when it was unsafe to do so?

Right now, we don’t know if the truck driver failed to yield or if the Ford was speeding or somehow hard to see. That kind of uncertainty is why I always emphasize the need for a thorough investigation grounded in evidence, not assumptions. Depending on whether the truck was already established in the intersection or just beginning its turn, very different legal questions arise.

That’s where tools like in-cab cameras and dash cams can make a difference. They may show whether the truck driver hesitated, misjudged a gap or moved aggressively into traffic. The truck’s engine control module can confirm its speed, throttle and braking inputs in the seconds before the crash. Cell phone records could help determine whether the driver was distracted.

These are not fishing expeditions. They’re how we get answers when police reports leave major questions unresolved. I’ve handled cases where the official story didn’t hold up once the full data came in, and others where a deeper look confirmed a driver’s account. Either way, the goal is clarity.

There’s also the broader question of how the trucking company manages its drivers. Did they give this driver proper training on making left turns across multi-lane highways at night? Do they have policies in place to prevent night-time fatigue or distraction? These are not theoretical concerns; I’ve handled cases where trucking companies cut corners on training or hired drivers who never should have been behind the wheel.

Ultimately, the public relies on both law enforcement and the civil justice system to get to the bottom of crashes like this one. That can’t happen without a real investigation into the decisions made by everyone involved.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear whether the truck turned across traffic safely or misjudged an oncoming vehicle.
• Dash cam and ECM data are essential for determining how the crash unfolded.
• Cell phone records and driver history may reveal whether distraction or poor training played a role.
• Trucking companies can share legal responsibility if they failed to train or screen drivers properly.
• Getting real answers requires going beyond the crash report and analyzing the full body of evidence.