One Injured in Rear-End Crash with 18-Wheeler on I-15 in Fallbrook, CA
Fallbrook, CA — August 3, 2022, a woman was critically injured after crashing into the back of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 15 in Fallbrook.
According to reports the incident happened around 6:20 p.m. on the northbound 15 Freeway near Mission Road. Preliminary investigation suggests only that a Volkswagen Golf TDI hatchback was headed north on the roadway when for unknown reasons it collided with the rear of an 18-wheeler ahead. The impact drove the car underneath the trailer where it became stuck.
Firefighters soon extricated the car's driver and she was taken to an area hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on 15 Freeway Truck Accident in Fallbrook
Many folks believe the rear driver is automatically at fault in a situation like this, but that's not actually true. The context of a crash can make all the difference, which is why it's always important to investigate carefully and learn all the facts. Details like both vehicles' speeds, if they were both in good repair, what the drivers were doing at the time, if the big rig braked or switched lanes suddenly ahead of the car, if the road was wet or hazardous, and the weather at the time, among many others, might wholly change how the crash is understood.
Another detail that often gets overlooked is whether the 18-wheeler had an intact underride guard, also called a Mansfield bar, meant to keep vehicles from going underneath the trailer during rear-end crashes. If properly maintained, those guards can often keep a serious collision from being far worse. Unfortunately, some trucking companies consider them "non-essential" and rarely fix or replace them. In fact, a frustrated truck driver once played us recordings of his supervisor telling drivers to spray-paint over rusted guards instead of replacing them as a cost-cutting measure.
Reports don't say the truck driver did anything wrong or that their truck was in bad shape, and I'm not suggesting either just by asking that all potential factors be considered. People just read about someone rear-ending a truck and think "case closed," but without a full and thorough investigation no one can be sure exactly what happened. At the very least the victim deserves the benefit of the doubt and to know that every effort was made to find the truth. Anything beyond that would depend on what is learned.
