T-Bone Accidents Involving Semi-Trucks — Causes, Dangers, and What Victims Should Do

What Is a T-Bone Accident Involving a Semi-Truck?

A T-bone collision occurs when the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another, forming a "T" shape. When a semi-truck is involved, the results are often catastrophic due to the massive size and weight of large trucks. Semi-trucks can weigh up to 80,000 lbs, and the sides of passenger vehicles provide far less protection than the front or rear, making these crashes uniquely dangerous.

Why Semi-Truck T-Bone Accidents Happen

Common causes include:

• Trucks running red lights or stop signs

• Wide left-turn collisions

• Failure of the semi-truck to yield at intersections

• Semi-truck driver fatigue

• Distracted driving by the semi-truck driver

• Blind spots

• Improper loading or shifting of cargo

How Deadly Are Semi-Truck T-Bone Crashes?

According to NHTSA and FMCSA:

• 5,472 people were killed in large-truck crashes in 2023 (NHTSA)

• 153,452 people were injured in large-truck crashes in 2023 (National Safety Council)

• 71-75% of people killed in large-truck crashes were occupants of other vehicles

• Fatal large-truck crashes have increased roughly 40% over the last decade

Side-impact crashes have the second-highest fatality rate of all crash types (NHTSA), and impacts with heavy trucks are disproportionately deadly.

Chicago & Midwest Statistics

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

• Illinois averages around 12,000 large-truck crashes each year

• Illinois sees roughly 100-140 truck-related fatalities annually

• Chicago-area interstates (I-90/94, I-80, I-55, I-294) have some of the heaviest truck traffic in the U.S.

Common Injuries in Semi-Truck T-Bone Crashes

These crashes often result in:

• Traumatic brain injuries

• Spinal fractures or paralysis

• Internal organ damage

• Rib, pelvis, and hip fractures

• Severe lacerations and crush injuries

• Wrongful death

What to Do After a Semi-Truck T-Bone Accident

1. Call 911 immediately

2. Document the scene (photos, DOT number, witnesses)

3. Seek medical evaluation

4. Avoid recorded statements to trucking insurance companies

5. Contact a truck accident attorney such as the Vrodolyak Law Group quickly. Trucking companies will send out their team of experts following a crash to collect data to prove the accident was your fault. You deserve a legal team with the resources collect data and analyze the accident.

Critical evidence may include:

• Black-box (ECM/EDR) data

• Driver logs and Hours-of-Service records

• Maintenance records

• GPS and telematics

• Traffic-signal timing data

• Cargo and loading documentation

How Semi-Truck Drivers Can Help Prevent T-Bone Accidents:

Prevention depends on:

• Proper semi-truck driver training

• Compliance with Hours-of-Service rules

• Avoiding speeding and signal violations

• Safe turning across traffic

• Regular truck maintenance

• Intersection safety measures

Sources (All Verified Government or First-Party Research)

- NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2023: Large Trucks

- National Safety Council, Injury Facts: Large Trucks

- FMCSA Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts

- FMCSA Hours-of-Service Regulations

- FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR)

- Illinois Department of Transportation Crash Data (IDOT)