POMONA, Los Angeles County, Calif., Oct. 14, 2026 — One person was taken to a hospital Tuesday morning, October 13, after a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle collided on westbound Interstate 10 near White Avenue, the California Highway Patrol said.
The crash was reported shortly after 9 a.m. and involved a semi-truck and a smaller SUV. Airbags deployed in at least one vehicle, and the wreckage blocked multiple lanes on the westbound side of the freeway, investigators noted.
A Los Angeles County Fire Department crew responded to the scene. One person involved in the crash was transported to Pomona Valley Hospital.
For a time, only the carpool lane remained open while crews worked to clear the scene, leaving all other westbound lanes were blocked. A tow truck was called to remove at least one of the vehicles. The highway patrol said all lanes had reopened by midmorning.
The cause of the collision has not been determined and remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. We hope everyone who was hurt makes a speedy recovery.
Who Faces the Greatest Risk When Cars Meet Big Rigs
The size gap between a semi-truck and a passenger car or SUV shapes who gets hurt worse when the two collide. A loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 20 to 30 times more than a sedan, so in a crash between the two, the people in the smaller vehicle absorb most of the force.
Occupants of passenger vehicles make up the large majority of people killed or injured in truck-involved crashes nationally, not the truck drivers themselves. Data consistently shows that drivers and passengers in cars, pickups, and SUVs bear the brunt of these collisions because their vehicles offer far less structure to absorb an impact.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 153,452 people were injured in traffic crashes involving large trucks in 2023. Many of those injuries involved people riding in smaller vehicles rather than the trucks they collided with.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are a truck's blind spots, and why do they matter?
Semi-trucks have large blind spots along both sides, directly behind the trailer, and close in front of the cab. Drivers in these zones may be invisible to the truck driver, which raises the risk of a collision during lane changes or turns.
What is an underride crash?
An underride crash happens when a smaller vehicle slides partly or fully beneath a truck's trailer during a collision, often because the trailer sits higher off the ground than a car's front end. These crashes can cause severe damage to the smaller vehicle's upper cabin.
What typically causes large-truck crashes?
Common factors include driver fatigue, following too closely, speed differences between vehicles, mechanical failure, and limited visibility around the truck. Weather and road conditions can also play a role.
How can drivers share the road safely with trucks?
Staying out of a truck's blind spots, allowing extra following distance, and avoiding sudden lane changes near a truck all reduce the chance of a crash. Trucks also need more distance to stop or maneuver than smaller vehicles.
What to Do After a Semi-Truck Crash in Pomona, CA
Anyone involved in a crash with a commercial truck should first check for injuries and move to a safe area if possible. Calling 911 ensures both medical help and a police report are on record, even if injuries seem minor at first.
It's worth seeking a medical evaluation soon after the crash, since some injuries, particularly from the force of a truck collision, aren't immediately obvious. Keeping records of any treatment, along with photos of the scene and vehicle damage, can help later if questions arise about what happened.
Residents and commuters in Pomona dealing with the aftermath of a crash can also reach out to local resources for guidance on medical care, vehicle repair, and insurance claims as they recover.