Wide Right-Turn "Squeeze Play" Truck Crashes: Who's at Fault?
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The gap that suddenly closes
You're stopped at a light or rolling up to an intersection. A semi-truck ahead of you drifts left, leaving what looks like open space between it and the curb. You ease into that space. Then the truck starts turning right, and the trailer swings straight toward you.
That's a squeeze play crash. It's one of the most common ways cars get caught by turning semis, and it can crush a car against the curb, a pole or another vehicle. It can also lead to serious personal injury in a Michigan semi-truck accident.
The big question afterward is almost always the same: whose fault was it? The trucking company's insurer will often say you shouldn't have been there. But in many cases, the truck driver made the bigger mistake. Here's how fault really works.
How a squeeze play happens
A semi-truck can't turn as tightly as a car. Its trailer cuts the corner, following a tighter path than the cab. So drivers often swing wide to keep the trailer wheels off the curb. The trouble comes from how they do it.
A typical squeeze play unfolds like this:
- The truck approaches the corner and drifts left, sometimes partly into the next lane.
- That opens a car-sized gap on the right, between the truck and the curb.
- A car pulls into the gap, often without realizing the truck is about to turn right.
- The truck turns, and the cab and trailer sweep right, closing the gap.
- The car gets hit, pushed or pinned against the curb.
Many of these crashes happen in the truck's right-side blind spot, the area the driver can't see well in the mirrors. For more on those danger zones, see our article on truck blind spot accidents.
When the truck driver is at fault
Truck drivers are trained for exactly this situation. Michigan's own Commercial Driver License Manual tells drivers not to turn wide to the left as they start a right turn, because a driver behind them "may think you are turning left and try to pass you on the right." Instead, it tells truck drivers to keep the rear of the truck close to the curb and turn wide as they finish the turn.
Michigan law backs this up. Both the approach for a right turn and the turn itself must be made as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the road. And before turning, every driver must first make sure the turn can be made safely, then signal.
So a truck driver may be at fault when they:
- Swung left before turning, opening a gap on the right
- Turned from the middle or left lane without making sure the right side was clear
- Didn't signal, or signaled too late for others to react
- Didn't check their mirrors, especially the right-side mirrors, before and during the turn
- Turned too fast, or kept going after they felt or heard contact
A big truck's blind spots don't excuse a driver. Knowing the blind spots are part of the job, and so is checking them.
When the car driver shares the blame
Insurance companies for trucking firms will look hard for anything you did wrong. In a squeeze play, they usually argue one of these:
- The truck's right turn signal was on, so you should have known it was turning
- You passed the truck on the right in a space that wasn't a real lane
- You pulled up next to a truck that was already turning
- You were distracted, speeding or following too closely
Sometimes those arguments have some truth to them. That doesn't mean you lose your case.
Michigan uses a rule called modified comparative fault. Fault gets split by percentage. If you were partly to blame, your pain-and-suffering award shrinks by your share. Only if you were more than 50% at fault do you lose the right to recover those damages. You can read more in our guide to Michigan's 51% rule.
In plenty of squeeze plays, the truck driver who swung left without checking the mirrors carries most of the blame, even if the car driver could have been more careful.
When the trucking company is to blame
The driver usually isn't the only one responsible. If the driver was working for a trucking company, the company is generally responsible for the driver's mistakes on the job.
The company can also be at fault for its own choices, such as:
- Hiring a driver with a history of turning crashes or poor driving
- Skimping on training for city driving and tight turns
- Sending drivers on routes full of tight urban corners without a plan
- Leaving mirrors broken, poorly adjusted or missing
- Pushing schedules that made drivers rush through turns
That matters because trucking companies carry much more insurance than individual drivers. For the full picture on company liability, see our guide on how to sue a trucking company for negligence in Michigan.
Evidence that shows who's at fault
Squeeze plays often turn into a "he said, she said" fight. The driver says you snuck up on the right. You say the truck drifted left and never signaled. Evidence settles it.
Evidence | What it can show |
|---|---|
Truck dash cam or side cameras | Where the truck was, when it signaled, and where your car was |
Truck's electronic data recorder | Speed, braking and steering in the seconds before the crash |
Traffic and business cameras | The whole intersection from the outside |
Damage to both vehicles | Where the contact happened and which way the truck was moving |
Witness statements | Whether the truck swung left and whether it signaled |
Driver's training and safety records | Whether the company prepared the driver for tight turns |
Much of this disappears fast. Business cameras often record over footage within days, and trucking companies control their own video and data. That's why it helps to have a lawyer send a demand to preserve evidence right away.
How Michigan law fits in
No-fault comes first. Your own auto insurance pays your medical bills and some lost wages through PIP benefits, no matter who caused the crash. How much it pays depends on the coverage level on your policy.
Suing the truck driver or company has a bar to clear. To recover pain-and-suffering damages, your injury generally has to affect your ability to live your normal life. Michigan law calls this a "serious impairment of body function."
Car damage is separate. In Michigan, you can usually recover up to $3,000 from the at-fault driver for vehicle damage your own insurance doesn't cover. This is often called a mini-tort claim.
The clock is ticking. You generally have three years to file a lawsuit. Video evidence from the intersection can vanish in days.
What to do after a wide-turn truck crash
If you can do so safely, a few steps right after the crash can make a big difference:
- Get medical care, even if you feel okay. Crush injuries and head injuries don't always show up right away.
- Photograph where both vehicles ended up, the curb, the lane lines and any damage.
- Note the trucking company name and USDOT number on the cab door.
- Look around for cameras on nearby businesses, traffic lights or buses, and write down where they are.
- Get names and phone numbers from witnesses, especially anyone who saw the truck swing left.
- Don't admit fault or give a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurer.
At Lee Steinberg Law Firm, we move fast to lock down video, truck data and witness accounts before they disappear. Talk to our Michigan semi-truck accident lawyers for a free consultation. Call 866-649-1830. Curious what your case might be worth? See our Michigan semi-truck accident settlement guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who is at fault if a truck hits a car while making a wide right turn?
Often the truck driver, especially if they swung left first, turned from the wrong lane or didn't check their mirrors. The car driver can share some blame, but that usually just reduces the award.
Who is at fault if a truck sideswipes a car in its blind spot?
Usually the truck driver. Drivers are expected to know where their blind spots are and check them before turning or changing lanes.
Is it illegal to pass a turning truck on the right?
Michigan only allows passing on the right in certain situations, and never by driving off the pavement. Squeezing between a turning truck and the curb is risky. But even if you passed on the right, the truck driver can still be mostly at fault.
What if the truck's turn signal was on?
A signal helps the truck driver's case, but it doesn't settle it. Michigan law requires drivers to first make sure a turn can be made safely, not just to signal it.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Generally three years from the crash in Michigan. Act much sooner, though, because video footage and truck data can be lost quickly.
