by A truck crash on the way to a game upends everything at once. The van has a dent in it, the schedule is ruined, and the athletes come first, long before anyone thinks about uniforms or the afternoon kickoff.
Commercial trucks carry real stakes. NHTSA’s 2024 large-truck crash data counted 5,340 deaths that year, along with an estimated 161,201 injuries, in U.S. crashes involving large trucks.
1. What to do if you were hit in Ohio on the way to a game
Take a moment and read the traffic around you. If the vehicle still moves and the dispatcher or responding officer tells you to move it, get it somewhere clear of traffic and turn on the hazards.
Staying inside or getting out is the dispatcher’s call, so do what they say. Keep passengers away from moving traffic and any leaking fluids. Nobody should ever stand between damaged vehicles. And a seriously injured athlete should never be asked to climb out for a gear bag.
2. Call 911 and identify the commercial vehicle
When you call 911, give the road name and direction of travel, the nearest exit or mile marker, any visible hazards, and how many people may be hurt. Say that a commercial truck is involved, since that changes what responders bring with them.
No parent present? Then the coach or supervising adult makes the emergency call first. After that, work through the team’s emergency-contact list: reach each athlete’s parent or guardian and tell them where responders are taking their child.
Ask another adult to let the host school know the team won’t make it. Medical details don’t belong in team group chats. Share them directly with responders and each family.
3. Check every athlete and passenger
Assign one responsible adult to head-count duty. That means everyone who rode in the vehicle, including the athlete who joined at the last pickup and the quiet kid in the back row. Check the roster twice.
Ask passengers to speak up about pain or dizziness rather than shrugging it off for warmups, and tell responders about confusion or any other symptom. Write down where each person sat and whether a seat belt or child restraint was in use. Someone who is hurt should stay put unless emergency personnel say otherwise or fire makes the spot immediately dangerous.
4. Document the crash scene and sports equipment
Only photograph when it’s safe. Start wide, showing the vehicles’ positions against lane markings and nearby signs, then move to close-ups of the damage. Never step into traffic, and never try to recreate the collision for a better shot.
| Record | Useful details
|
|---|---|
| Truck | Plate; company markings; trailer number; USDOT number |
| Scene | Vehicle positions; signals; debris; weather; skid marks |
| People | Passenger seating; visible injuries; witness contacts |
| Sports gear | Item; brand; model; condition; purchase receipt |
Photograph damaged sports gear separately, including model labels on helmets and wheelchairs. Check beneath the uniforms in the cargo area for broken equipment, and keep each receipt with its photos. Don’t throw anything out until you document it and check the insurer’s preservation instructions. Hang on to replacement estimates as well.
5. Exchange information without debating fault
Collect the truck driver’s name and contact details, license and insurance information, and the carrier’s name. Write down the plate number on the truck and the one on the trailer. They aren’t always the same.
Don’t argue about speed or blame at the roadside, and don’t try to predict what insurance will do. If witnesses are willing, get their names and contact details before they scatter. Ask the officer how to obtain the crash report.
6. Get medical care and pause the return-to-play plan
Tell emergency personnel and clinicians about every symptom, even when pain seems manageable or an athlete insists they can still play. Note when symptoms began and anything that changed during the trip to urgent care or the emergency department.
The game can wait. Under CDC HEADS UP guidance, an athlete with a suspected concussion stays out of practice and competition for the rest of that day and until a qualified health care provider evaluates and clears them. Follow the team’s medical protocol, and keep a copy of the discharge instructions.
7. Organize bills and other crash records
If you were hit in Ohio on the way to a game, start a dated folder for medical records and bills, work-loss paperwork, vehicle estimates, and sports-equipment receipts.
Paper or digital both work. Pick one main location and stick with it. Add the crash report number, discharge instructions, and pharmacy receipts, and preserve the original files with a backup of the unedited phone photos.
A running log helps once the calls start. Track appointments and transportation costs, and record every insurer conversation with the date and the name of the person who spoke with you. A working parent should save employer documentation showing missed shifts or reduced hours.
Your road-trip game plan
Your team’s schedule shouldn’t decide what happens after a crash. Passenger safety comes before documentation, and accurate records make the follow-up less scattered. Save everything in the dated folder, and store it beside the team’s emergency-contact file.
