Aurora, CO — January 30, 2025, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 3 a.m. at the intersection of Airport Road and East 32nd Avenue.

Authorities said a car driving south on Airport Road rear-ended a semi-truck that had been turning left.

The man driving the car died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. His name has not been made public at this point.

No other injuries have been reported.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary

When I hear about a crash where a car rear-ended a semi-truck making a turn, the first thing that comes to mind is whether the truck was visible to approaching traffic. Many people assume that rear-end crashes are always the fault of the driver in the back, but in my experience, that’s an oversimplification, especially when a commercial truck is involved.

A proper investigation should start by determining how long the truck had been in the intersection. Was it still actively turning when the crash happened, or had it been blocking the lane for an extended period? In some cases, truck drivers misjudge how much time they need to complete a turn, leaving their trailers stretched across the roadway longer than expected. If that happened here, it could be a sign that the turn was made improperly.

Lighting and visibility are also key concerns, especially since this crash happened at 3 a.m. Was the intersection well-lit? Were the truck’s taillights and reflective markings in good working order? I’ve seen cases where poorly maintained trailer lighting made it almost impossible for an approaching driver to recognize a stopped or slow-moving truck in time to avoid a collision. If investigators find that the truck wasn’t properly illuminated, that could shift responsibility away from the driver who rear-ended it.

Another important factor is whether speed or distraction played a role. Investigators should review traffic camera footage, dashcam recordings and vehicle data to determine how fast the car was traveling and whether the driver took any evasive action before the crash. While commercial truck drivers have a duty to complete their turns safely, other drivers must also be alert to changing traffic conditions.

At this stage, there are still too many unanswered questions to determine exactly what caused this wreck. That’s why a thorough investigation needs to go beyond just labeling this as a "rear-end collision" and consider all possible factors. Without that level of scrutiny, it’s easy to overlook details that could change the entire understanding of what happened.