Wide Turn Accidents: The 'Squeeze Play' Crash

Because a tractor-trailer's trailer wheels track a tighter arc than its cab, commercial drivers are trained to swing wide before completing a right turn — sometimes moving left into an adjacent lane first. This creates a well-documented hazard known as the "squeeze play": a vehicle or cyclist alongside the truck, believing the truck is turning left or simply not anticipating the maneuver, gets trapped and crushed between the trailer and the curb as the truck completes its turn.

How wide turn accidents happen

• The squeeze play at intersections. A car pulls up beside a truck signaling right, not realizing the truck must swing left first, and is squeezed against the curb or a fixed object.
• Failure to check the No-Zone before turning. The same right-side blind spot involved in blind spot accidents hides vehicles and pedestrians directly in the turn path.
• Turning too sharply for the trailer length. A driver who misjudges the trailer's swing radius can run the rear wheels over a curb, into a crosswalk, or into a vehicle in the adjacent lane.
• Pedestrians and cyclists in crosswalks or bike lanes are especially vulnerable, since they are often positioned exactly where a trailer's rear wheels track during a tight turn.

Who is liable?

• The driver — failing to signal the wide-turn maneuver, failing to check mirrors and blind spots before turning
• The trucking company — inadequate training on turning procedure for the specific trailer length in use
• A municipality — in rare cases, intersection design that doesn't accommodate commercial turning radii may add a government defendant, with its own shorter notice deadlines

Intersection camera footage, traffic signal data, and witness statements are critical in squeeze-play cases and can disappear quickly. If you or a loved one was struck during a truck's wide turn, learn what to do next and start a free case review.

Related causes

• Blind spot (No-Zone) accidents
• Rollover accidents