Nashville, TN — November 21, 2025, two people were injured due to a rear-end truck accident at approximately 2:00 a.m. along Interstate Highway 24.

According to authorities, two people were traveling in a BMW on I-24 in the vicinity of Thompson Lane when the accident took place.

Reports state that the BMW was allegedly slowing and pulling over to the shoulder due to a flat tire at the time. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the BMW was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler.

The person who had been behind the wheel of the passenger vehicle reportedly sustained serious injuries due to the wreck. The driver of the 18-wheeler suffered non-life-threatening injuries, as well, according to reports. EMS transported each of them to local medical facilities so that they could 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 a vehicle is rear-ended by an 18-wheeler while pulling onto the shoulder, especially in the middle of the night, the question isn’t just who hit whom—it’s why didn’t the truck driver see the car in time to avoid the crash? That’s the core issue investigators should be focused on.

The reported circumstances suggest the BMW was in the process of slowing down or already moving onto the shoulder because of a flat tire. That’s exactly the kind of situation truck drivers are trained to anticipate—especially on an interstate highway, where disabled vehicles aren’t uncommon. At 2:00 a.m., visibility is a factor, but commercial drivers are expected to operate with extra caution during nighttime hours. If a driver fails to notice a slowing vehicle in his lane, that opens the door to several critical questions.

Was the truck driver distracted—on the phone, reaching for something, or just not paying attention? Was he fatigued after too many hours behind the wheel? The truck’s black box and electronic logging device (ELD) can help answer those questions by showing speed, braking, and the driver’s duty status. If the driver had been working long hours or failed to take rest breaks, that could shift a lot of the responsibility upstream to the trucking company that scheduled him.

Another possible factor is lighting. If the BMW had lost electrical power or lacked proper emergency lighting, it could have been difficult to see. But that alone doesn’t absolve the truck driver. Professional drivers are trained to anticipate the unexpected, and they’re supposed to maintain a safe following distance at all times—especially in low-visibility conditions.

Crashes like this also bring up broader concerns about company policies: Was the driver trained adequately? Was his record clean? Was he under pressure to meet a delivery window? These background details often prove just as relevant as the moments leading up to the impact.

Key Takeaways:

• The key question is why the truck driver didn’t react in time to avoid a slowing or stopped vehicle.
• Black box data and ELD logs will help determine if fatigue or distraction were factors.
• Lighting and vehicle visibility may be relevant, but don’t eliminate the truck driver’s duty to keep a safe distance.
• The trucking company’s training, oversight, and scheduling practices should also be scrutinized.
• Rear-end crashes involving 18-wheelers often point to a failure in attention, planning, or both.