Update (June 2, 2025): Authorities have said that all three people in the Civic were seniors at Lenape High School in Medford, NJ.

Mercer County, NJ — May 27, 2025, one person was killed and two others were injured in a truck accident at about noon on State Route 31 north of Pennington.

Authorities said a southbound Honda Civic collided with a northbound semi-truck near Titus Mill Road in Hopewell Township.

All three people in the Honda were seriously injured in the crash, according to authorities. One of them died after being transported to a local hospital. Their names have not been made public at this time.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Mercer County crash. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary

When people hear about a fatal crash involving a small car and an 18-wheeler on a two-lane road, the first thing they want to know is: How did these two vehicles end up colliding head-on? It’s a fair question, and the answer could have big implications for who should be held accountable.

Right now, authorities say a southbound Honda Civic collided with a northbound semi-truck on Route 31 near Titus Mill Road. That tells us the general direction of both vehicles, but not much else. Was one of them trying to pass? Did either vehicle drift out of its lane? Did road design or visibility play a role? None of that is clear yet.

In situations like this, speculation doesn’t help, but evidence does. For the truck, the engine control module (ECM), basically the vehicle’s black box, can tell us how fast the truck was going, whether the brakes were applied and how long the driver had been on the road. That data can either support or rule out claims that the truck crossed the center line, drifted or was speeding.

It’s also important to find out if the truck had in-cab cameras. Those can show what the driver was doing in the moments before the crash, something no police report can provide. Was the driver distracted? Tired? Using a phone? Unless someone pulls the driver’s cell phone records, we won’t know.

Just as important is whether the trucking company followed reasonable hiring and training procedures. Did they vet the driver’s background? Was there a proper road test, or just a checkbox process? I’ve handled cases where drivers who had no business being behind the wheel were hired anyway, and the consequences were deadly.

The reports don’t say how the collision actually occurred, only that the Civic and semi-truck hit each other. That’s a big gap in the information. Depending on whether the truck was turning, trying to pass or even stopped in the road, very different legal questions arise.

It’s also not clear if weather or road conditions played a part. Was there a curve or a hill that limited visibility? Was there any indication that either driver tried to avoid the crash?

All of these are unanswered questions; and until those answers come in through a thorough investigation, it's impossible to know who is at fault or why this happened.

Key Takeaways

• The public reports don’t yet explain how the crash between the Civic and semi-truck occurred.
• Critical evidence like ECM data, in-cab cameras and phone records will be essential to understanding the truck driver's role.
• Trucking company hiring and training practices could also factor into who bears responsibility.
• Without clear details about vehicle positions or driver actions, major questions remain unanswered.
• Getting to the truth will require a full, independent investigation, not assumptions.