Wide-Turn (Squeeze-Play or Swinging-Turn) Semi-Truck Crashes — Causes, Dangers, and What Victims Should Do

What Are Wide-Turn Crashes?

Wide-turn or "squeeze-play" or "swinging-turn" crashes occur when a semi-truck swings left before turning right (or vice versa) and collides with a vehicle trapped beside the trailer. These crashes commonly occur at intersections, loading zones, and city streets.

Why Wide-Turn Crashes Happen

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) identifies the follow causes of Wide-turn crashes:

• Trucks swinging wide to complete turns

• Vehicles caught between the trailer and curb

• Right-side blind spots

• Improper mirror use

• Misjudgment of turning radius

• Insufficient turn-signal use

• Obstructed intersections

Severity & Data

While federal data groups these under "turning" crashes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports:

• 5,472 deaths in large-truck collisions (2023)

• Intersection crashes contribute heavily to serious injuries

• Wide-turn crashes are dangerous because vehicles may be crushed or pulled beneath the trailer

Common Injuries from wide-turn crashes include:

• Crush injuries

• Amputations

• Traumatic brain injury

• Spinal damage

• Wrongful death

Chicago and the Midwest Risks

Frequent in:

• Downtown Chicago intersections

• Industrial freight zones

• Tight suburban streets

• I-90/94, I-55, I-290, I-80 delivery routes

  
  

What you should do after a wide-turn accident with a semi-truck:

1. Call 911

2. Photograph turn angle, truck trailer wheels, and damage patterns

3. Seek medical evaluation

4. Do not speak with insurance adjusters

5. Contact The Vrdolyak Law Group, who has over 60 years of experience fighting big trucking cases

The trucking companies have their own teams of professionals that they deploy to the crash site as soon as the accident happens. It's their goal to gather as much information as possible and put the blame of the accident on you instead of on their truck driver. That's why it's important to have a legal team with the resources, experience, and knowledge to beat the trucking company at their own game.

At the very least, your legal team should be working to get:

• ECM data

• Driver logs

• Intersection camera video

• Turn-signal analysis

Tips to Help Prevent Wide-Turn Crashes

• Always use your turn signals

• Be aware of your blind spots, especially if you're next to a big truck

• Make sure your side and rearview mirrors are aligned properly

• Consider your lane position when at an intersection with a big truck

• Avoiding right-side passing

Sources

- NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts — Large Trucks

- National Safety Council Injury Facts

- FMCSA Large Truck Crash Causation Study

- FMCSA Visibility & No-Zone Research