Greene, NY — February 7, 2025, three people were injured following a multi-vehicle truck accident sometime before 1:30 p.m. on State Highway 12.

According to authorities, an 18-wheeler was traveling southbound on S.H. 12 in the vicinity south of the C.R. 2 intersection when the accident took place.

The cause of the accident remains unclear. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the truck failed to safely maintain its lane of travel. It was subsequently involved in a side-swipe collision with a southbound car that was stopped in the center turn lane awaiting northbound traffic to clear in order to make a safe left turn into a parking lot. After the side-swipe collision, the truck reportedly continued into the northbound lane of the highway where it was involved in a secondary, head-on collision with an oncoming truck. The 18-wheeler apparently did not come to a stop until after crashing into several vacant vehicle that had been parking in the parking lot.

The person who had been a passenger in the northbound truck sustained serious injuries and was flown to an area medical center for immediate treatment. The person who had been behind the wheel of the northbound truck and the person who had been behind the wheel of the side-swiped car suffered injuries due to the wreck, as well; they were transported to local medical facilities by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment. Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identities of the victims—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When an 18-wheeler drifts out of its lane and causes multiple collisions, the key question isn’t just what happened, but why it happened. In my experience handling truck accident cases, crashes like this rarely occur without multiple contributing factors that need to be examined.

What caused the truck to leave its lane? Large commercial vehicles don’t just drift off course without reason. Did the driver become distracted or fatigued? Was there a mechanical failure—such as brake or steering issues—that prevented them from maintaining control? Investigators should examine dashcam footage, phone records, and vehicle diagnostics to determine whether driver error or equipment failure played a role.

Did the truck driver have time to correct course before the secondary collision? After sideswiping the turning vehicle, the truck continued into oncoming traffic and struck another truck head-on. That raises questions about whether the driver attempted to regain control or if the truck’s momentum made avoidance impossible. Investigators should review electronic logging device (ELD) data and vehicle positioning to determine how much time the driver had to react.

Was speed a factor? If the truck was traveling too fast for conditions or following too closely behind another vehicle, that could have limited the driver’s ability to recover after the initial impact. Investigators should determine whether the truck’s speed was appropriate given traffic and road conditions at the time of the crash.

Did broader issues contribute to the wreck? Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring their drivers are properly trained and that their vehicles are in safe operating condition. If the company ignored hours-of-service regulations, pressured the driver to meet an unrealistic delivery schedule, or neglected maintenance on the vehicle, those failures could have contributed to the crash. Investigators should review company policies, driver history, and past safety violations to determine whether broader issues played a role.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is finding answers. Even if it takes an independent investigation to gather the right evidence, it’s critical to examine every factor to ensure those affected by the crash get the clarity and closure they deserve.