Visalia, CA — August 30, 2025, one person was injured in a truck accident at about 1:45 a.m. at the intersection of Riggin Avenue and Plaza Drive.

Authorities said an Amazon semi-truck was heading west on Riggin Avenue when it apparently ran a red light and collided with another semi-truck that was going north on Plaza Drive.

The Amazon truck driver was hospitalized with serious injuries after being extricated from the wreckage, according to authorities.

The other driver was not hurt, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Tulare County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When most people hear that a semi-truck ran a red light and collided with another 18-wheeler, their first thought is simple: the driver must have messed up. That’s possible, but from my experience, it’s rarely that simple. The real question is: why did the truck enter the intersection against the light? Until that’s answered, we can’t know who, or what, bears responsibility.

Running a red light can happen for a variety of reasons. Maybe the driver was distracted, maybe the brakes weren’t working properly or maybe fatigue played a role. Each of those possibilities requires evidence to confirm or rule out. For example, cell phone records can show whether the driver was texting or talking. The truck’s engine control module (ECM), sometimes called a “black box,” can reveal whether the brakes were applied, how fast the truck was moving and even how long it had been in motion before the crash. Many trucks also carry dash cameras or inward-facing cameras, which can be invaluable in showing what the driver was doing in the moments leading up to impact.

It’s also important not to overlook the company’s role. Did Amazon have reasonable policies in place for hiring, training, and monitoring its drivers? Was this driver overworked or under pressure to meet delivery deadlines? I’ve handled cases where a driver should never have been on the road in the first place, but the company’s lax standards allowed it to happen.

Right now, we don’t know if this was a matter of driver negligence, equipment failure or systemic issues within the trucking operation. But the only way to move past speculation is through a thorough investigation that pulls data from every available source. That’s what ensures accountability, not assumptions.

Key Takeaways:

• The key question is why the Amazon truck allegedly ran the red light, not just that it did.
• Evidence like ECM data, dash cams and cell phone records can clarify whether distraction, fatigue or mechanical failure played a role.
• A trucking company’s hiring, training and workload policies can contribute to crashes and must be scrutinized.
• Accountability depends on gathering hard evidence, not guesswork.