Victorville, CA — March 26, 2025, two people were killed and one person was injured in a truck accident at about 5:30 p.m. on U.S. Route 395 near Bear Valley Road.

Authorities said an SUV was trying to pass another SUV when it crashed head-on into a semi-truck. The impact also caused the SUV to hit the other SUV.

Both SUV drivers died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. The truck driver suffered undisclosed injuries as well.

Their names have not been made public at this time.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I hear that a vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic while trying to pass and ended up hitting a semi head-on, it’s easy to imagine most people will chalk it up to a bad decision by the SUV driver. That may very well be the case. But after three decades of litigating crashes like this, I’ve learned that even when something looks straightforward, there are usually more questions worth asking before we jump to conclusions.

To start with, what prompted the SUV driver to make that pass? Was the vehicle in front traveling unusually slow, or was the passing driver possibly unaware of how close the truck actually was? Visibility, speed and judgment all play a role here. That’s why dashcam footage, vehicle data and even witness statements are critical for figuring out whether this was truly a reckless move or a misjudgment made under unclear conditions.

Another key question is: was the truck visible and traveling at a lawful speed? I’ve worked on cases where large trucks were technically within their lane but still hard to see due to road curves, low sun glare or even lack of headlights during dusk. ECM data from the truck should show exactly how fast it was going and whether the driver had time to react, or attempted to avoid the crash at all.

And then there’s the road itself. U.S. 395 near Bear Valley Road is no stranger to wrecks. If the stretch where this happened is known for limited passing zones, poor signage or narrow lanes, those factors could also contribute to the risk. It wouldn’t be the first time a road was practically setting drivers up for failure, even if they weren’t doing anything illegal.

At the end of the day, crashes involving passing maneuvers and head-on collisions aren’t just about a single bad decision. They’re about a chain of events, some obvious and others buried in data or overlooked by investigators who only examine the crash scene. Getting to the bottom of what really happened requires more than reading a report: it takes asking the right questions and digging for answers that aren’t always sitting in plain sight.