The incident was reported around 12:43 p.m. on the southbound State Route 111 just north of E Evan Hewes Highway.
El Centro, CA – One person was hospitalized after a van collided with a big rig Tuesday afternoon in El Centro, according to the California Highway Patrol logs.
The incident was reported around 12:43 p.m. on the southbound State Route 111 just north of E Evan Hewes Highway.
A gray Toyota Sienna van rear-ended a big rig under unclear circumstances.
One person was transported to El Centro Regional Medical Center with unknown injuries.
The slow lane and the No. 2 lane were blocked following the crash. All lanes were back open at around 1:04 p.m.
CHP is investigating the cause of the accident.
California continues to record the second-highest number of big rig and large truck fatalities in the United States, trailing only Texas. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and 2025 FMCSA data, California recorded 392 large-truck fatalities in a single year. While 2024 and 2025 estimates show a promising downward trend in total collisions, heavy trucks are still involved in roughly 9% of all fatal crashes in the state.
Statistics reveal that these accidents are disproportionately fatal for those in smaller vehicles; approximately 70% of those killed are occupants of passenger cars, not the truck drivers. The primary crash factors identified by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) include speeding, improper lane changes, and driver fatigue. High-risk zones remain concentrated on major freight corridors, particularly Interstate 5, Highway 99, and Interstate 10 in the Inland Empire.
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