Lubbock County, TX — June 27, 2025, one person was injured due to a truck versus van accident sometime in the afternoon along U.S. Highway 380.

According to authorities, the accident took place in the vicinity of the U.S. 380 and Farm to Market 179 intersection.

Details surrounding the accident remain scarce. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a collision took place between a van and an 18-wheeler. One person reportedly sustained serious injuries as a result of the wreck. Additional information pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—is not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary

When people hear that a van collided with an 18-wheeler at a rural intersection in Lubbock County, they naturally want to know: What caused the crash? And at this point, it’s not clear. We know a serious injury occurred, but beyond that, almost nothing is publicly known—not who had the right of way, not whether either vehicle ran a stop sign, and not even whether the truck was loaded at the time.

That lack of information leaves a big hole in understanding what really happened. But from a legal standpoint, that hole is also an opportunity—to gather evidence before it disappears and to hold the right party accountable, once the facts come in.

Intersections Demand Clarity

Crashes at rural intersections like U.S. 380 and FM 179 often involve questions about visibility, signaling, and timing. Was either driver trying to make a turn? Was one vehicle attempting to cross or merge into traffic? These seem like basic questions, but I’ve seen time and again that the answer is buried in things like:

• Dash cam footage that shows how long each vehicle had been in the intersection.
• Traffic signal timing data, where applicable, to confirm whether lights or signs were obeyed.
• ECM data (the truck’s black box) that shows the truck’s speed, braking, and throttle activity leading up to the crash.
• Driver cell phone records, to rule out or confirm distraction.
• Cargo logs, if the truck was loaded, since improperly secured loads can alter handling or even shift in a way that causes a crash.

Depending on whether the 18-wheeler was stopped or moving, different liability questions arise. If the truck pulled out in front of the van, that points toward the truck driver’s judgment. But if the van ran a stop sign or failed to yield, that’s a different story entirely. The issue is: We don’t know yet.

What Investigators Should Be Asking

Even a relatively “simple” crash between a van and a truck can involve multiple layers of responsibility. It’s not just about the drivers. Investigators should be asking:

• Was the truck driver properly trained and qualified?
• Was the intersection known for visibility problems or prior crashes?
• Were any traffic control devices malfunctioning or obscured?
• If the truck was turning, was it wide enough to require both lanes—and was that maneuver communicated properly?

I’ve handled more than a few of these cases where a trucking company tried to pin the crash on the other driver, only for the black box or camera footage to reveal that their own driver either misjudged a turn or simply failed to yield. And in some cases, the truck shouldn't have been there at all—drivers unfamiliar with the area can make poor routing decisions that put them in dangerous positions.

Key Takeaways

• We don’t yet know what caused the van and 18-wheeler to collide at this intersection.
• Critical facts—like who had the right of way or whether either vehicle failed to yield—are still missing.
• Evidence like dash cams, ECM data, and cell phone records will be key to clarifying fault.
• Both driver behavior and trucking company practices should be examined as part of a thorough investigation.
• Serious crashes like this deserve more than surface-level answers. They require evidence-driven accountability.