Who’s Responsible for Truck Accidents on Icy Roads?

Ice, sleet, and snow can be deadly on the roads, especially for massive 18-wheelers. That’s because icy roads and winter weather can pose unique challenges for truckers, other motorists, and even road maintenance crews. And it’s likely why roughly 1 in 4 crashes caused by weather involve ice or snow.

With that and current trucking regulations, it shouldn’t be “business as usual” for big rigs, truckers, motor carriers, and others whenever the roads are slick and adverse weather hits.

Here’s why, with a look at:

• The Dangers of Icy Roads for 18-Wheelers
• Truck Accidents on Icy Roads: Statistics
• Who’s Responsible for Road Maintenance in Icy Conditions?
• Should Truckers Drive in Icy Conditions or Adverse Weather?
• Liability for 18-Wheeler Accidents on Icy Roads

To see why the Lone Star State is particularly notorious for fatal 18-wheeler wrecks, check out Texas & the Deadliest Dozen in Truck Wrecks: Experts Urge Congress to Take Action.

The Dangers of Icy Roads for 18-Wheelers

It’s no secret that ice, snow, and adverse weather can make driving conditions incredibly risky. Still, the nature and severity of these risks can escape many, particularly when:

• They aren’t used to operating in inclement weather.
• They aren’t aware of how poor weather conditions can uniquely affect big rigs and how they function on the roads.

Here, “they” can refer to several parties, including truckers, passenger vehicle drivers, motor carriers, and others who may fail to recognize the facts that icy and snowy roads can:

• Extend braking distances: 18-wheelers may need up to twice as much distance to come to a stop on icy roads, when compared to dry pavement. With little margin for error, minor misjudgments can lead to catastrophic crashes. Similarly, if other vehicles follow big rigs too closely or truckers underestimate braking distances in adverse weather, the risks of truck crashes can spike.   
• Increase the risks of jackknifes: Skidding and sliding on icy roads can result in trailers losing traction and swinging out alongside cabs, even at relatively low speeds. Additionally, misapplications of big rig brakes, improperly loaded cargo, and even downhill roads can increase the risk of jackknifes on icy and snowy roads.

Compounding these dangers, strong winter winds, and black ice can create more hazards, further reducing visibility, stability, and traction on the roads.

Truck Accidents on Icy Road: Statistics

Quantifying the dangers of icy roads for 18-wheelers, the latest data from state and federal regulators paints a grim picture of just how often adverse weather in the form of ice and snow contributes to truck wrecks and other motor vehicle accidents:

• At least 1,300 lives are lost each year due to crashes on icy or snowy roads.
• Upwards of 116,800 people are hurt in icy road wrecks each year.
• Most icy road wrecks (~63%) occur while snow or sleet is falling.
• In Texas in 2023, sleet, snow, and icy roads contributed to at least 1,972 wrecks.
• Winter storms have been responsible for the highest number of traffic accidents in Texas in a single day. During the 2023 winter storm in Texas, that all-time high was 460 wrecks, edging out the previous one-day record of 440 crashes, which occurred during the 2021 winter storm in Texas.

Notably, about 70% of U.S. roads are in areas that experience snowfall, meaning many truckers are required to navigate icy and snowy roads — and the dangers that come with them — as they try to meet unforgiving delivery schedules.

Who’s Responsible for Road Maintenance in Icy Conditions?

When adverse weather hits, state and local agencies are typically responsible for:

• Monitoring weather forecasts and conditions, so they can take prompt action to keep the roads safe.
• Swiftly clearing snow and ice from roads to minimize accumulation and potential risks.
• Applying de-icing materials, such as salt and sand, to provide more traction and lower the freezing point of water to reduce the formation of ice.

In some areas, officials may retain contractors to help clear ice and snow from the roads. In others, private parties, like homeowners’ associations, may be responsible for clearing the roads.

That can put one or more organizations in the driver’s seat to maintain the roads when hail, sleet, or snow is in the forecast. If they fail to take the lead and honor their responsibilities:

• 18-wheeler crash risks can skyrocket.
• The responsible parties can be held accountable for their failures and the harm they’ve caused.

Should Truckers Drive in Icy Conditions or Adverse Weather?

Currently, there are no federal trucking regulations that specify the exact types of adverse weather events that would serve as a red light to immediately halt big rig operations. With that, officials have left it up to the judgment of truckers and motor carriers to make these decisions.

That does not mean, however, that there’s zero guidance on when truckers should stop driving 18-wheelers due to adverse weather. In fact, federal regulators have stated that:  

Extreme caution must be exercised when hazardous weather conditions adversely affect visibility or traction as it relates to a motor vehicle. Drivers are required to reduce speed under such conditions.

If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, operations must immediately be discontinued until the vehicle can again be safely operated. In a case where the danger to the driver, occupants, or other users on the road would increase by stopping, the driver may continue operating the vehicle until the nearest place the danger can be eliminated.

This has created murky territory for high-stakes judgment calls that could have life-or-death consequences. That opens up serious risks that:

• Motor carriers may pressure truckers to continue driving when they should not.
• Truckers may misjudge the weather and/or road conditions, attempting to push through extreme hazards when it’s too risky.
• Assumptions that the roads will be cleared quickly could misguide truckers or motor carriers into carrying on, rather than halting (or rerouting) a haul.
• Poor conditions and decisions lead to catastrophic 18-wheeler accidents.

Liability for 18-Wheeler Accidents on Icy Roads

After truck wrecks on slick, snowy, and icy roads, liability could be shared by several parties, depending on how the crash occurred and what exactly contributed to it.

Generally, however, some parties that tend to be liable for big rig accidents on icy roads are:

• State or local agencies: If these parties are responsible for maintaining the roads, they can be liable for their failures to properly treat and promptly clear the roads, especially if those failures lead to the accumulation of black ice and serious crash-causing hazards.
• Third-party contractors: If officials retain contractors to help clear and treat the roads, these parties can be among those liable when unsafe road conditions play a role in causing 18-wheeler accidents.
• Motor carriers: If trucking companies fail to halt operations in adverse conditions — or if they lean on truckers to keep driving in hazardous weather — these motor carriers can be responsible for their negligence and the resulting wrecks.
• Truck drivers: If truckers fail to follow safety regulations or make poor decisions in icy conditions, they can be liable for any traffic collisions they cause.
• Shippers or loaders: If improperly loaded cargo shifts while trucks are on icy roads, the parties that packed that cargo can be liable for overloading trucks and contributing to wrecks.
• Other motorists: If other drivers are reckless on the roads and cause truck accidents, these motorists can also be among the liable parties.

Your Rights After Truck Accidents on Icy Roads

18-wheeler wrecks on snowy, icy roads can leave victims with devastating injuries and unanswered questions about their rights. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck wreck that occurred on an icy road, finding out your legal options can be the first step in your journey of recovery and justice. We are here to help: contact us for a 100% free case evaluation.