Eighteen Wheels and Busy Lanes: What Drives Truck Crashes on I-95 and Route 1 in Bucks County

Anyone who commutes through Bucks County knows the rhythm of I-95 and Route 1: heavy traffic, short merges and a steady stream of tractor-trailers moving freight through the region. When a vehicle that can weigh many tons is involved in a collision, the consequences can be severe. Our Bucks County truck accident lawyers outline several of the most common factors behind these crashes.

Fatigue and Hours-of-Service Limits

Federal rules cap how long commercial drivers can stay behind the wheel. Under 49 C.F.R. § 395.3, a property-carrying driver generally may drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, may not drive after the 14th consecutive hour on duty, and may not keep driving once eight hours have passed without a 30-minute break. Tight delivery schedules can push drivers toward the edge of those limits, and fatigue slows reaction time at highway speeds.

Speed and Following Distance

Pennsylvania’s Vehicle Code requires every driver to travel at a speed that is reasonable and prudent for the conditions and to be able to stop within the assured clear distance ahead (75 Pa.C.S. § 3361). A loaded truck needs far more room to stop than a passenger car, so speeding or tailgating in stop-and-go traffic leaves very little margin. PennDOT reports that statewide fatalities involving aggressive driving, a category that includes tailgating and driving too fast for conditions, have risen 31 percent since 2020.

Other Common Contributing Factors

Truck crashes rarely have a single cause. Investigators commonly look at several things:

• Distraction: Phones, dispatch devices and navigation screens can pull attention from the road. PennDOT counted 54 distracted-driver fatalities statewide in 2025, up from 49 in 2024.
• Equipment problems: Worn brakes, bald tires and lighting failures become more dangerous with heavy loads.
• Cargo issues: Overloaded, unbalanced or poorly secured freight can shift and affect handling.
• Road and traffic conditions: Construction zones, lane shifts, short merge lanes and bad weather add risk for everyone.

Why the Bigger Picture Matters

PennDOT recorded 1,047 traffic deaths across Pennsylvania in 2025, the fewest since record keeping began in 1928, out of 109,515 reportable crashes. That is encouraging news, but it still means thousands of families were touched by serious collisions. When a commercial truck is involved, a thorough review may extend beyond the driver to the trucking company, maintenance records and the way cargo was loaded.

We’re Ready to Listen

Whether a crash happened on I-95, on Route 1 or on a side street, the aftermath can feel overwhelming. Kevin L. Hand, P.C. is here to help people make sense of what comes next. Our Bucks County truck accident lawyers serve injured people and families in Newtown, Yardley, Langhorne and throughout Bucks County. Reach out to our office today at 215-515-2604, and we will talk through your situation.

Source:

pa.gov/agencies/penndot/news-and-media/newsroom/statewide/2026/fatal-crashes-and-traffic-deaths-decline-in-2025-to-lowest-level