Morris, IL — August 4, 2025, two people were injured in a truck accident at about 5:15 a.m. on Interstate 80 near mile marker 113.

Authorities said an eastbound semi-truck swerved to avoid a deer and ended up in the westbound lanes, where it crashed into another semi-truck. A third semi-truck was damaged by debris from the crash.

Two drivers, whose names have not been made public yet, were hospitalized with unspecified injuries after the crash, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Grundy County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary

When a crash like this happens, where a semi-truck swerves across the highway and collides with oncoming traffic, the most obvious question people have is: How does something like that even happen? The explanation offered here is that the truck driver swerved to avoid a deer. That might sound like the end of the story, but from a legal standpoint, it's just the beginning.

The key issue is whether the truck's sudden maneuver was unavoidable or the result of a preventable error. It's not clear whether the truck was speeding, whether the driver was alert or if the vehicle's equipment functioned properly. Each of those questions points to something that can, and should, be verified through evidence. Was the driver distracted by a cell phone? Were there in-cab cameras that recorded what happened inside the cab? What does the truck's engine control module (or "black box") say about the speed, steering angle and braking just before the crash?

It's also worth considering whether the driver was properly trained to respond to road hazards. In one case I handled, a driver with a history of poor performance was hired after a minimal evaluation, and that decision turned out to be more responsible for the crash than anything the driver did behind the wheel. Depending on how this Morris-area crash played out, we could be looking at something similar: a mistake that wasn’t just about swerving for a deer, but about a driver or a company that was never equipped to handle that kind of situation in the first place.

There’s also the question of the second and third trucks involved. The reports don’t specify whether the oncoming truck had any chance to avoid the swerving vehicle or whether debris from the crash posed a risk that could have been foreseen. All of this matters when determining who’s responsible and what could’ve been done differently.

Key Takeaways:

• Swerving to avoid a deer may explain what happened, but not why it led to a crossover crash.
• Investigators should examine ECM data, cell phone records and in-cab video to understand the truck’s movement and the driver’s behavior.
• Driver training and hiring practices may come into play, especially if the response to a hazard was flawed.
• It’s not clear whether the oncoming trucks had any chance to react or avoid the collision, another key fact still missing.
• Until all evidence is gathered and analyzed, it’s impossible to say who is ultimately responsible.