An 18-wheeler jackknifed on Friday, September 4, 2026, after striking an unoccupied pickup truck on U.S. 77 near Driscoll, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash happened in the southbound lanes near County Road 12.
Reports indicate the 18-wheeler failed to stay in its lane and struck a pickup truck that was parked on the shoulder. The 18-wheeler then jackknifed and blocked the southbound lanes of U.S. 77. The driver of the 18-wheeler suffered minor injuries, according to Nueces County Constable Precinct 3.
Southbound U.S. 77 remained closed after the crash while crews worked to clear the scene. Traffic was rerouted onto Business 77 through Driscoll. DPS earlier reported that drivers were being diverted off the highway at FM 665 and could re-enter at FM 3354. Nueces County Constable Precinct 3, Nueces County ESD 3, DPS, and the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office responded. DPS is investigating what led to the crash.
Jackknife crashes can block highways and create serious danger
A jackknife accident occurs when the tractor and trailer fold toward each other, often leaving the truck spread across multiple lanes. Once that happens, the driver may lose effective control of the vehicle. Other motorists can be trapped by blocked lanes, forced into sudden evasive maneuvers, or exposed to secondary crashes.
This crash involved a truck that reportedly failed to stay in its lane, struck an unoccupied pickup on the shoulder, and then jackknifed across the southbound lanes. An 18-wheeler accident attorney investigating this type of crash would focus on why the truck left its lane, what caused the driver to lose control, and whether the jackknife resulted from unsafe speed, braking, steering, distraction, fatigue, equipment failure, roadway conditions, or another preventable cause.
A jackknife crash is not fully explained by saying the truck folded across the roadway. The legal question is why the sequence began. Did the truck drift onto the shoulder? Did the driver overcorrect? Did braking cause trailer instability? Was the truck traveling too fast for conditions? Was there a steering or tire problem? Those details matter in determining fault.
Even though the pickup was unoccupied and only minor injuries were reported to the truck driver, the incident created a major roadway hazard. A disabled or jackknifed commercial vehicle can quickly endanger approaching drivers, first responders, tow operators, and others working near the scene.
Failure to stay in lane and shoulder impacts
DPS reported that the 18-wheeler failed to stay in its lane before striking the parked pickup. That detail is important for any 18-wheeler accident investigation. Lane departure crashes can involve inattention, fatigue, distracted driving, poor vehicle control, wind, tire failure, steering issues, or evasive action taken in response to another hazard.
A truck crash lawyer would want to know where the pickup was parked, whether it was fully on the shoulder, whether it had lights or warning devices, and whether the shoulder was wide enough for the parked vehicle. The attorney would also examine whether the 18-wheeler’s path gradually drifted from its lane or whether the truck suddenly moved onto the shoulder.
If the commercial driver drifted out of the travel lane, distraction should be evaluated. Distracted driving can include cell phone use, messaging, dispatch devices, GPS interaction, eating, paperwork, or simply looking away from the roadway. At highway speeds, a brief lapse can allow a large truck to leave its lane and strike a stopped vehicle.
The investigation should also determine whether the truck driver overcorrected after striking the pickup. Sudden steering after a shoulder collision can cause trailer instability and contribute to a jackknife.
Driver fatigue and commercial vehicle control
Because the crash occurred Friday morning, investigators should review the truck driver’s schedule and hours before the collision. Driver fatigue can cause lane drift, slowed reaction time, poor judgment, and delayed correction after a vehicle begins to leave its lane.
An attorney investigating a jackknife crash will typically request driver logs, electronic logging device records, dispatch communications, trip records, and rest information. These materials can show whether the driver had been on duty too long, whether the company pressured the driver to continue, and whether the driver complied with federal rest requirements.
Hours of service regulations are designed to reduce fatigue-related trucking crashes. If those rules were violated, or if the driver was technically compliant but still dangerously tired, that information may be significant in a legal claim.
Fatigue is not the only possible explanation. But when a commercial truck fails to stay in its lane, hits a vehicle on the shoulder, and jackknifes, driver alertness should be reviewed carefully.
Brakes, tires, steering, and maintenance issues
A jackknife crash can be caused or worsened by mechanical problems. Braking imbalance, worn tires, defective steering components, trailer issues, poor maintenance, or improper repairs can all affect whether a driver can maintain control.
A possible steering malfunction should be considered whenever an 18-wheeler leaves its lane or suddenly moves toward the shoulder. Investigators should examine the steering system, suspension, tires, wheels, alignment, brakes, trailer connections, and any post-crash mechanical findings.
A tire blowout can also cause a truck to drift, pull, or become unstable. Tire condition, tread depth, inflation, prior repairs, and maintenance history should be reviewed before the truck is repaired or returned to service.
A proper pre-trip inspection should identify visible safety issues before a commercial vehicle enters the roadway. If the truck had worn tires, brake problems, steering defects, lighting issues, or other safety concerns, the trucking company and driver may have had an opportunity to prevent the crash.
Trucking company liability after a jackknife crash
A commercial vehicle crash investigation should not stop with the driver. Trucking company liability may arise when a company fails to maintain equipment, hires or retains unsafe drivers, ignores prior violations, pressures drivers to meet delivery deadlines, or fails to train drivers on emergency braking and lane control.
A trucking accident attorney would review the driver qualification file, safety history, maintenance records, dispatch messages, training materials, prior crashes, and any internal investigation. Those documents can show whether this was an isolated incident or part of a broader safety problem.
Driver qualifications can also become important. A qualified commercial driver must be trained to maintain lane position, control speed, respond safely after a tire or steering problem, avoid overcorrection, and manage the trailer during emergency maneuvers.
Potential FMCSA violation issues should be reviewed. Federal trucking rules govern driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance, inspections, hours of service, and equipment condition. A violation becomes legally important when it helps explain how the crash occurred.
Roadway closures and secondary crash risks
This crash blocked southbound U.S. 77 and forced traffic onto alternate routes. That kind of closure can create additional danger. Drivers approaching the scene may encounter sudden congestion, emergency vehicles, lane closures, debris, and diverted traffic.
A secondary crash can occur when drivers react to the original incident or encounter traffic backups created by the crash. Jackknifed 18-wheelers are especially dangerous because they can block multiple lanes at once and leave little room for vehicles behind them to maneuver.
An attorney reviewing a jackknife crash may examine whether warning signs, emergency lights, traffic control, and rerouting were handled safely. While the original collision is the focus, the full consequences of a highway-blocking truck crash can extend beyond the first impact.
Roadway evidence should also be documented before cleanup. Skid marks, gouge marks, debris, tire tracks, shoulder damage, and the final position of the tractor, trailer, and pickup can all help reconstruct the crash.
Evidence that should be preserved after the crash
Important evidence should be preserved quickly after a jackknife crash. This includes photographs of the tractor-trailer, the parked pickup, vehicle damage, tire marks, roadway debris, final resting positions, shoulder location, road conditions, and any warning devices around the pickup.
Black box data may show speed, braking, throttle use, hard braking, steering-related events, and other data from before the crash. That information can be critical in determining whether the driver drifted, braked suddenly, overcorrected, or lost control because of a mechanical issue.
An official accident report may provide useful information, but it may not answer all liability questions. A full attorney-led investigation may require maintenance records, inspection reports, driver records, dispatch communications, dash camera footage, cell phone records, and witness interviews.
Surveillance footage from nearby businesses, passing vehicles, dashcams, law enforcement units, or roadway cameras may help show how the 18-wheeler left its lane. A preservation letter can help protect electronic data, video, company records, and vehicle evidence before they are lost, overwritten, repaired, or discarded.
Legal issues after an 18-wheeler jackknife accident
A legal claim after a truck crash requires proof of causation. The evidence must connect the lane departure, unsafe speed, fatigue, distraction, steering problem, tire failure, maintenance issue, company safety failure, or other negligent act to the crash and resulting harm.
Even when the reported injury is minor, the legal investigation still matters. The parked pickup was struck, a major highway was blocked, and the 18-wheeler jackknifed across travel lanes. Those facts show how easily the incident could have caused serious injury or death to motorists, roadside workers, or first responders.
An expert witness may be needed to evaluate crash reconstruction, jackknife mechanics, vehicle speed, tire and brake condition, driver reaction, roadway evidence, and federal trucking safety standards.
An experienced 18-wheeler accident attorney can identify the responsible parties, preserve evidence, and determine whether the crash resulted from driver conduct, equipment failure, trucking company negligence, or a combination of factors.
Speak With an 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney
Spagnoletti Law Firm represents individuals and families affected by serious 18-wheeler accidents. Our attorneys work with qualified experts to investigate jackknife crashes, lane departures, black box data, driver logs, tire failures, steering problems, truck maintenance, trucking company safety practices, and the evidence needed to determine what happened.
We offer a free consultation, and we handle 18-wheeler accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront attorney’s fees and we are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by an 18-wheeler accident, call Spagnoletti Law Firm at 713-804-9306 or contact us online.