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SIMI VALLEY, Ventura County, Calif., Oct. 16, 2026 — A multi-vehicle crash shut down lanes on eastbound State Route 118 near Rocky Peak on Thursday afternoon, October 15. At least one person was reportedly hurt, and a semi-truck was among the vehicles involved.
The California Highway Patrol said the crash was first reported as a collision with unknown injuries before being upgraded to an ambulance call. Radio traffic described four or five vehicles involved, including a Ford Mustang, a Toyota sedan, a Toyota Prius and a Honda Civic, along with debris in one of the eastbound lanes. A semi-truck was reported on the right shoulder about a quarter mile west of Rocky Peak. However, it was not immediately clear how it was connected to the pileup involving the passenger vehicles.
One occupant of the Honda Civic was reportedly evaluated for possible injury, and dispatch traffic indicated a request for paramedics was later downgraded, suggesting the injury may not have been serious. Two lanes were blocked for a time as crews worked the scene, and tow trucks were called to clear multiple vehicles.
The circumstances that led to the chain-reaction crash remain under investigation. The California Highway Patrol has not released names, ages, or a full count of how many people were hurt.
We hope everyone who was hurt makes a full and speedy recovery.
When Multi-Vehicle Pileups on Highways Like SR-118 Tend to Happen
Chain-reaction crashes involving several cars and a truck usually cluster around the afternoon commute, when traffic density rises and following distances shrink. A single sudden stop, whether from congestion, a stalled vehicle, or a lane change, can ripple backward through a line of cars before drivers have time to react.
Glare and shifting light during the midday and early afternoon hours can also play a role, particularly on stretches of highway that curve through hills or canyons, where sightlines change quickly. Mixed traffic, with some drivers slowing for an obstruction and others not yet aware of it, adds to the risk of a rear impact turning into a multi-car pileup.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 365 large-truck occupants were killed in multi-vehicle crashes involving large trucks in 2023. Crashes involving a semi-truck among several passenger vehicles tend to produce more severe outcomes than collisions between cars alone, in part because of the size and weight difference between vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do trucks need so much room to stop?
A loaded semi-truck can weigh twenty times more than a passenger car, and that extra weight means its brakes need far more distance to bring it to a stop, especially at highway speeds.
What makes truck accidents more dangerous than car crashes?
The size and weight gap between a semi and a passenger vehicle means the smaller vehicle typically absorbs most of the force in a collision, which raises the chance of serious injury for its occupants.
What are a truck's blind spots and why do they matter?
Large trucks have wide blind spots along both sides, directly behind the trailer and close to the front of the cab. Vehicles lingering in these zones may not be visible to the driver, which can contribute to lane-change or merging crashes.
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, usually because the trailer sits higher off the ground than a car's crumple zones.
What to Do After a Multi-Vehicle Crash in Simi Valley, CA
If you're involved in a pileup with several vehicles, try to move to a safe spot away from traffic lanes if your car is drivable and it's safe to do so. Check on others nearby, call 911, and wait for the California Highway Patrol or local responders to document the scene.
Even if you feel fine, it's worth getting checked by a medical professional afterward. Adrenaline can mask pain from whiplash or other injuries that show up hours or days later. Keep records of any medical visits and take photos of vehicle positions and damage if you're able, since multi-vehicle crashes usually involve more than one insurance claim to sort through.
