NEWARK, Essex County, N.J., Oct. 31, 2026 — A tractor-trailer and three other vehicles collided on I-280 East in Newark on Wednesday afternoon, October 28, according to the New Jersey State Police. One driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Troopers responded around 2:28 p.m. to a crash involving a Freightliner tractor-trailer, a Honda, an Acura and a Mazda SUV, all traveling east on I-280, the New Jersey State Police said. A preliminary investigation found the Freightliner driver lost control and struck the other three vehicles.
The tractor-trailer kept moving after the initial impact, investigators said, and struck the left concrete barrier. It then rode up onto the barrier and came to rest on top of it.
The driver of the Acura suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, the New Jersey State Police reported. No other injuries were reported at the scene.
The crash forced the closure of three eastbound lanes and two westbound lanes of I-280 west of Exit 13 near Orange Street and First Street. All lanes reopened by about 9:10 p.m. that night. The case remains under investigation, and no further details have been released.
We hope everyone who was hurt makes a full and speedy recovery.
Intersection Crashes in New Jersey
This truck crash happened at Orange Street and First Street in Newark, NJ. For more on crashes at intersections across New Jersey, see our intersection safety guide for New Jersey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do after a crash involving a commercial truck?
Move to a safe location if possible, call 911, and wait for police to document the scene. Get medical care even for injuries that seem minor, since some symptoms appear later.
Why do trucks need so much distance to stop?
Loaded tractor-trailers weigh many times more than passenger cars and carry that weight over multiple axles, so they need much longer braking distances, especially at highway speeds.
What makes truck crashes more dangerous than typical car crashes?
The size and weight difference between a truck and a passenger vehicle means a collision can cause more serious damage and injury to the smaller vehicle's occupants.
What are a truck's blind spots and why do they matter?
Large trucks have wide blind spots along both sides, directly behind, and close in front of the cab. Drivers in those zones may not be visible to the truck driver, which raises the risk of a collision during lane changes or turns.
