On July 26, 2025, about 11:03 a.m., a multivehicle collision occurred between a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a minivan, and a truck-tractor in combination with a refrigerated semitrailer (combination vehicle) that was parked on the shoulder of Interstate 485 (I-485) Outer Loop, near mile marker 7, in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The SUV, operated by a 16-year-old driver and traveling in the middle lane, initiated a lane change and struck the side of a minivan traveling in the right lane. Both vehicles traveled toward the right shoulder and struck the semitrailer of the combination vehicle parked on the right shoulder. The driver and four passengers of the minivan and the driver of the SUV died. A passenger in the minivan sustained serious injuries.
We determined that the probable cause of the Charlotte, North Carolina, multivehicle crash on I-485 was the teen SUV driver’s risky driving behavior, including speeding and approaching a vehicle at high closing speed and sudden incursion into an adjacent lane occupied by another vehicle.
Contributing to the crash were the SUV driver’s limited driving experience and impairment from cannabis. Contributing to the severity of the crash was the presence of a combination vehicle that was illegally parked on the shoulder in the highway clear zone for a nonemergency event, which eliminated the SUV and minivan drivers’ opportunity to safely recover after the initial impact. Also contributing to the severity of the crash was underride of the semitrailer, which resulted in occupant compartment intrusion and loss of survivable space in both passenger vehicles.
Risks of Cannabis Impairment While Driving.
This crash demonstrates the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving. Cannabis use decreases motor coordination, reaction time, and judgment of distances—all of which are necessary for safe driving. Driving while impaired is always against the law. Teens are especially vulnerable because impairment compounds their limited driving experience, which can lead to poor decisions in traffic scenarios requiring quick judgment.
Truck Parking on Shoulders.
Large vehicles such as trucks that are parked on shoulders are especially dangerous because they become hazards to errant vehicles, which can strike them at highway speeds. Collisions between passenger vehicles and large trucks can lead to more severe crash outcomes because of the larger trucks’ greater height and weight. Parking on shoulders for nonemergency reasons is illegal in most states. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations list what drivers should do if an electronic logging device malfunctions, and they do not require drivers to pull over immediately.
