One person was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon in a crash involving a commercial truck on U.S. 63 in Boone County.
The crash happened around 3:40 p.m. on June 16, 2026, on northbound U.S. 63 just north of Gilmore Lane. A 2025 Peterbilt 548 entered the northbound lane after completing a right turn from Gilmore Lane. A 2020 Honda Fit was traveling north in the right lane when its front struck the rear of the Peterbilt.
The 38-year-old driver of the Honda suffered serious injuries and was taken by EMS to a local hospital. The Honda was totaled, while the Peterbilt sustained moderate damage. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
The Peterbilt driver was wearing a safety device. The Honda driver was not wearing one at the time of the crash.
Commercial truck drivers must use extreme care when entering a highway from a side road. Large trucks are slow to accelerate and require much more time and distance to reach the speed of traffic. Before turning into an active lane, a truck driver must make sure approaching vehicles have enough space to slow down or safely move around the truck.
A passenger vehicle traveling at highway speed may have little time to react when a heavy commercial truck enters its lane at a much lower speed. The size and weight difference between the vehicles can make the resulting impact especially severe for the person in the smaller car.
This crash demonstrates why commercial drivers must carefully judge traffic before entering a highway. Pulling into an active lane without enough space can place an approaching motorist in a sudden and unavoidable emergency. Conduct that exposes other drivers to that danger and results in serious injuries should be taken seriously and addressed under the law.
