Catastrophic Semi Truck Accident Pileup
A catastrophic truck-involved pileup shut down both directions of California’s Highway 99 on Saturday morning, drawing renewed attention to the dangers posed by dense fog and large commercial vehicles traveling through the Central Valley. The massive chain-reaction crash occurred just after 8:15 a.m. near the farming community of Earlimart in Tulare County and involved at least 59 vehicles, many of them semi-trucks and commercial freight carriers. Early estimates from county officials suggested the number of vehicles involved may have been as high as 150. Learn more about the semi truck accident pileup in the Central Valley.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), drivers traveling along Highway 99 suddenly encountered near-zero visibility conditions as thick fog settled across one of the state’s most heavily traveled trucking corridors.
With visibility reduced to as little as 100 to 200 feet, drivers had virtually no warning before traffic ahead came to a standstill.
Within seconds, multiple collisions involving passenger vehicles and large trucks triggered a devastating chain reaction across both northbound and southbound lanes.
Maintaining a safe following distance is critically important for all drivers, especially semi-tractor and truck drivers. Even in good conditions, truck drivers must maintain a longer following distance, and anticipate emergencies, sudden stops, and other issues that could make the truck difficult to control.
In foggy conditions, all drivers must increase their following distances and drive slower – anticipating the unexpected. This is especially true for truck drivers in foggy conditions. Suddenly stopping a large truck in an emergency situation requires a lot more time, distance, and margin for error. Therefore, while driving in fog truck drivers in particular must drive slower than the speed limit, in a manner that is safe for the conditions, with longer following distances, and while anticipating that an accident or sudden stop can happen at any moment.
Photos online released by the Tulare County Fire Department show the immense destruction left behind sedans crushed beneath tractor-trailers, semi-trucks jackknifed across lanes, and mangled vehicles pushed into concrete median walls. The size and weight of commercial trucks dramatically intensified the severity of the crash. Several smaller vehicles were flattened under big rigs, and twisted metal was scattered across the highway, blocking all lanes of traffic in both directions.
Emergency responders described a chaotic and dangerous scene. Tulare County Fire requested mutual aid from Kern County Fire and Visalia City Fire as crews worked carefully through the wreckage to locate injured drivers trapped inside crushed vehicles. CHP officers remained on site for hours as first responders navigated limited visibility and unstable debris. At least 10 people were transported to local hospitals, though officials said it was still unclear whether the pileup resulted in fatalities.
Dozens of motorists were stranded for hours before being bused to the Tulare Ag Center for medical evaluations and transportation. Highway 99 was completely closed from Avenue 24 to the Kern County line well into the evening as investigators documented vehicle damage, measured skid marks, and coordinated towing operations for dozens of wrecked cars and commercial trucks.
Why Truck Accidents Make Fog-Related Pileups So Dangerous
Highway 99 is a critical freight route, carrying a constant flow of tractor-trailers transporting agricultural goods, fuel, and consumer products. When fog reduces visibility, large trucks pose a unique and heightened danger. Due to their size and weight, semi-trucks require significantly longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles – and much more difficult to control especially in emergency situations. In dense fog, even a momentary delay in reaction time can result in catastrophic consequences.
Authorities cited fog as the primary cause of the crash and warned motorists not to rely on automatic headlights, which often fail to activate in daylight fog. However, “fog” doesn’t cause accidents – drivers of motor vehicles and trucks do. The weather conditions dictate how to safely drive, what safety steps need to be taken, and how drivers must adjust their driving to the conditions.
In truck accident cases, additional factors often play a role such as commercial drivers traveling too fast for conditions, following too closely, fatigue from long hours on the road, or pressure to meet delivery deadlines.
Similarly, drivers of regular passenger vehicles must adjust their driving to the conditions. That means slowing down, turning on lights when visibility is low, keeping a longer distance, and also anticipating that an accident can happen in a moment. The difference is that a passenger vehicle may be less difficult to control than a heavy and long, large truck and tractor.
When a truck is involved in a chain-reaction crash, the damage multiplies. A single semi-truck collision can trigger dozens of secondary impacts, turning an already dangerous situation into a mass-casualty event.
A Troubling Pattern of Truck-Involved Pileups | Semi Truck Accident Pileup
Saturday’s disaster is the latest in a growing series of fog-related crashes involving trucks on Central Valley highways. Just days earlier, thick fog contributed to a 43-car pileup on Highway 58 near Bakersfield, sending nine people to the hospital. Earlier this month, a 17-vehicle crash on Highway 99 in Fresno killed two people.
These repeated incidents highlight a disturbing pattern: While the weather and mother nature is unpredictable, it is always the drivers’ responsibility to adjust their driving to the conditions, be it fog, rain, wind, heavy commercial traffic, etc.
How Jassim Law Helps Victims of Truck Accidents
Truck accident cases especially large pileups are among the most complex personal injury claims.
While truck drivers, the media, or someone else may blame “fog” or the weather, the reality is mother nature is never negligent or violating safety rules. Only drivers of vehicles, i.e., human beings, corporate entities, and other entities are held to the standard of avoiding negligence.
That means, no matter what mother nature throws at us, we must adjust our conduct to do drive safely for the conditions.
Victims are often left with severe injuries, permanent disabilities, lost income, and overwhelming medical expenses. Determining liability is rarely straightforward, particularly when multiple commercial vehicles are involved.
Jassim Law has experience handling serious truck accident and commercial vehicle cases throughout California. Trucking collisions often involve more than just the driver. Liability may extend to trucking companies, employers, freight contractors, vehicle maintenance providers, or manufacturers. Federal and state trucking regulations, driver logbooks, black box data, and safety records all play a critical role in uncovering the truth.
Federal and State rules dictate what drivers of trucks and commercial vehicles must do to drive safely in all weather conditions.
Jassim Law conducts thorough investigations to determine whether trucking companies failed to properly train drivers, enforce rest requirements, maintain vehicles, or adjust operations for hazardous conditions like dense fog. The firm fights aggressively to hold negligent parties accountable and pursue full compensation for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term care needs.
Act Now! Do Not Face a Truck Accident Alone | Semi Truck Accident Pileup
Truck-involved pileups like the Highway 99 crash can change lives in an instant. If you or a loved one was injured in a fog-related truck accident or multi-vehicle collision, legal guidance is critical.
Jassim Law is committed to protecting the rights of truck accident victims and helping them navigate the complex legal process with clarity and confidence so they can focus on recovery while experienced advocates handle the fight for justice.
Injured in a Truck Accident? One Call Solves it All!