Novi, MI — February 10, 2025, one person was injured in a truck accident at about 7:35 a.m. on Interstate 96.

Authorities said a semi-truck rear-ended another semi-truck that has slowed down due to heavy traffic near Beck Road. The second truck was a grain hauler that had turned on its hazard lights before the crash, but the other truck was following too closely.

The driver of the first truck, whose name has not been released at this time, suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities. The other driver was not injured.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

Commentary

When one semi-truck rear-ends another, the first thing that comes to mind is that the trailing driver likely wasn’t maintaining a safe following distance. In congested traffic, truck drivers have a responsibility to anticipate slowdowns and leave enough space to stop safely. If a driver fails to do that, the results can be catastrophic, especially when fully loaded trucks require hundreds of feet to come to a complete stop.

That said, investigators shouldn’t stop at assuming the driver was simply following too closely. A thorough investigation should look at whether other factors contributed to the crash. Was the driver distracted, fatigued or dealing with mechanical issues? Reviewing dashcam footage, black box data and cellphone records could help determine whether inattention played a role.

Another key issue is whether traffic conditions made it difficult for the driver to react. Stop-and-go traffic can be unpredictable, and if another vehicle cut in front of the truck at the last moment, the driver may not have had enough space to slow down in time. Witness statements and traffic camera footage could help clarify what happened.

It’s also worth considering whether the trucking company’s policies contributed to the wreck. Some companies push their drivers to keep moving, even in heavy traffic, creating situations where they feel pressured to follow too closely. If unrealistic scheduling demands played a role, then accountability may extend beyond just the driver.

At this stage, we don’t know exactly what led to this crash, but one thing is certain: ensuring accountability requires more than just looking at the crash scene. A proper investigation must dig deeper into the circumstances leading up to the collision to determine whether it was truly a matter of driver error or if other factors played a role.