Louisville, KY — November 15, 2025, a man was killed due to a truck accident at approximately 3:00 a.m. along Interstate Highway 71.

According to authorities, a man was traveling in a southbound pickup truck on I-71 in the vicinity of Zorn Avenue when the accident took place.

Traffic in the area had apparently slowed to a stop due to an overturned 18-wheeler ahead. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the pickup truck crashed into the rear-end of an 18-wheeler that had stopped in the traffic conditions. The man from the pickup reportedly did not survive the wreck.

Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a driver rear-ends a stopped 18-wheeler on the interstate, the common assumption is that the driver must not have been paying attention. But in a case like this—where traffic had slowed or stopped due to an earlier overturned truck—there’s more to consider than just the actions of the pickup driver. The key legal question becomes: Was the stopped 18-wheeler clearly visible and properly marked in time for following drivers to react safely?

At 3:00 a.m., visibility is a real concern. Commercial drivers are required by federal law to activate their hazard lights when stopped in or near traffic lanes and to deploy reflective warning triangles within minutes if the stop becomes prolonged. If the 18-wheeler that was struck had been sitting in traffic for any length of time without adequate warning to approaching vehicles, that could shift some liability onto the truck driver or their carrier—especially if the truck’s rear lighting or reflectors were obscured, damaged, or not functioning properly.

It’s also important to examine how quickly traffic was backing up behind the overturned truck ahead. Was the stopped 18-wheeler positioned around a curve, just beyond a hill, or in low-light conditions that made it difficult to see in time? These physical factors can play a significant role in whether a rear-end collision was avoidable. Investigators will need to examine dash cam footage, skid marks, black box data, and lighting conditions to determine how much time the driver of the pickup reasonably had to react.

Of course, the driver’s own conduct must also be reviewed. Was he distracted? Fatigued? Driving too fast for conditions? But that evaluation should happen alongside an analysis of whether the stopped commercial vehicle was as visible and well-marked as required by law—not in place of it.

Key Takeaways:

• Stopped commercial trucks must be properly marked and visible, especially in pre-dawn hours and traffic backups.
• Investigators must examine whether the truck's hazard lights, reflectors, and warning triangles were deployed and functioning.
• Roadway conditions—such as curves, lighting, and traffic buildup—will help determine whether the crash was avoidable.
• Both driver behavior and commercial vehicle visibility must be scrutinized to understand how and why the collision occurred.