A head-on crash occurs when a driver moves into oncoming traffic, creating an unavoidable collision with the front of the vehicle.

Example: A semi-truck driver tries to pass another vehicle on a two-lane highway, and strikes an oncoming vehicle head-on.

A driver loses control, and the truck slides and rolls over onto its side. A rollover can also be the result of an equipment or infrastructure failure.

Example: A tractor-trailer driver hauling a heavy load is cut off by another driver just as the roadway starts to curve: the speed, weight, and high center of gravity tip over the trailer. See: Video anatomy of a semi rollover crash

Caused by a driver failing to stop at stop sign, failing to yield the right-of-way, or running a red light, causing an unavoidable collision in the intersection of 2 or more roads.

Example: A commercial truck driver speeds up for a yellow light, thinking he will get into the intersection before the light changes to red. See: A red light crash is no accident

A driver is unable to brake and stop prior to hitting another vehicle or other property; this type of crash may be the result of driver inattention, or of a failure to maintain or check the truck brakes.

Example: A speeding truck driver comes upon stopped traffic and is not able to brake in time to stop the vehicle.

A rear-end crash occurs when a driver fails to stop, and strikes the rear of another vehicle in front of the truck. Rear-end collisions are most common at intersections, but also occur in highway traffic; they can be the result of failed braking.

Example: A heavy truck is traveling too fast to stop for highway traffic, and causes a rear-end crash with the car ahead.

Specific to semi-trucks, a wide-turn crash occurs when the rear-end of the semi-truck trailer runs into another vehicle or a person. Another term for this “off-tracking.”

Example: A semi-truck driver turns left at a 4-way intersection, but fails to account for the wide swing of the trailer, which strikes a pedestrian.

A collision that occurs when a truck tire explodes—or, when a loose tire comes off—the semi-truck or trailer and strikes another vehicle, or causes the truck driver to lose control.

Example: The rear wheel came off of a tractor-trailer, crossed over several lanes of traffic, and bounced across the I-5 median—where it slammed into a family’s car, causing it to flip. See: Truck tire causes brain injury in I-5 crash

A blind spot crash occurs when a truck driver changes lanes without checking the 4 big blind spots, and strikes a vehicle in the next lane.

Example: A trucker on the interstate attempts to merge into the left lane without checking all the blind spots, and swerves into another vehicle.