Are Semi-Trucks Allowed on Residential Streets?

They rumble, squeal and take up a lot of space. You usually see them on the interstate. We all rely on them, but they can be dangerous. Any guesses?

Semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles are necessary in our economy, but that doesn’t mean we’re fond of seeing them everywhere. How would you feel if you saw one in your neighborhood?

Imagine if you walked outside to see a large truck squeezing through the residential street where your kids play. Imagine if your small road became a traffic jam, or if a reckless trucker plowed your mailbox down.

There are a few reasons why tractor-trailers, box trucks and other commercial vehicles are a nuisance — and even a safety hazard — in residential areas.

Why is There a Heavy Truck in My Neighborhood?

There is no denying that certain commercial vehicles are necessary in residential areas. If you’ve ordered something online, a delivery truck will need to drop it off at your home. We’ve all seen Amazon Prime trucks scooting along neighborhood streets to deliver packages.

Garbage trucks are vital, keeping our streets clean, and school buses transport our children. Emergency vehicles, like fire trucks, may enter our neighborhoods when necessary. There are many occasions where we must share our local roads with large trucks.

Unfortunately, some commercial vehicle drivers use residential roads as detours or shortcuts. Some even re-route to these streets to avoid toll roads. While this may save them time, these drivers are endangering residents.

Common Hazards Posed by Commercial Vehicles in Residential Areas

Large trucks have a reputation for getting in the way. Beyond this nuisance, truck drivers put everyone around them at risk when they make poor choices. Trying to navigate a small residential area or neighborhood is often a poor choice for a trucker.

Normal hazards associated with commercial vehicles are made worse in close quarters. Here’s how.

• Blind spots put your children, pets and property at risk.

Because of their size and structure, commercial vehicles have large blind spots, also known as “no zones.” These can block areas in front of, beside and behind the truck. On an interstate highway, these blind spots may hide a small car from a trucker’s view.

On a residential road, however, blind spots can obscure even more: joggers, children, mothers pushing strollers, dogs, bicyclists, mailboxes, or other vehicles.

On December 9, 2024, a 53-year-old woman in a Philadelphia neighborhood was killed when a Freightliner truck struck her. An article reported that the woman was crossing the street, not visible to the truck driver. In urban and suburban areas, large trucks can kill pedestrians in a matter of seconds.

• The larger the truck, the wider the turn.

Our neighborhood streets aren’t designed with big trucks in mind. For a vehicle like a semi tractor-trailer, street size affects the ability to make turns safely. Many trucks make wide right turns to avoid jackknifing or running off the road.

On narrow streets, even a careful truck driver may struggle to squeeze past obstacles. He might sideswipe a parked car, strike garbage cans or mailboxes, or run over curbs. This can result in property damage or personal injury.

• Even parked semis can be dangerous.

It may seem like threats posed by large trucks go away once the vehicle is no longer operating. Unfortunately, even a semi-truck that is powered down and parked along the street can be dangerous.

Some residential areas are poorly lit, and if a heavy truck is parked on a narrow street without its lights on, drivers may not see it until it’s too late. Recently, improperly parked semi tractor-trailers have been involved in tragic accidents. You may rear-end a truck that isn’t visible to you, causing an underride wreck. These wrecks occur when your vehicle slides under the trailer and becomes crushed.

For this reason, commercial vehicle drivers must park in areas designed for them. If they must pull over on a residential street, they should use their hazard lights and park in a low-traffic spot.

• Residential streets are not designed for massive trucks.

 Think about your neighborhood. Think about the road. It may be curvy, hilly, narrow, or end in a cul-de-sac. It may be poorly paved or made of dirt or gravel. All of these conditions make it more difficult for a large truck to pass through safely.

Commercial vehicles, because of their size, need more time and space to brake. Gravel complicates this, making a truck harder to stop. Tight curves increase the risk of rollover, due to a semi’s high center of gravity.

The Dangers of Large Blind Spots Around Commercial Trucks

Some signs identify roads where trucks are not allowed. These may read “NO THRU TRAFFIC,” “NO TRUCKS EXCEPT DELIVERY,” or show the silhouette of a truck crossed out in a red circle.

These signs are intended to prevent large trucks from using certain roads. This may include residential streets. As some signs indicate, delivery trucks that have a destination on the marked road are exempt.

Truck traffic could be prohibited on these roads because they are too narrow, trucks are too heavy, or it is a residential area. However, even if a road does not have a “NO THRU TRUCKS” sign, truckers should still pause to assess whether it is safe for their use or not.

Truck Accidents in Residential Areas: Real-Life Examples of Danger

The hazards associated with heavy trucks in residential areas cause hundreds of accidents every year. For example, on December 4, 2024, a semi-trailer truck driver in suburban Illinois made a mistake that could have ended in tragedy.

While attempting to turn, the trucker lost control, according to an article. The semi slid, struck a power line and two garages before colliding with an abandoned house. The wreck caused the area to lose power, and the driver had to be airlifted to a hospital.

Fortunately, no one was inside the house. No pedestrians or drivers beside the trucker himself were harmed. Too often, this type of accident results in serious injury or death.

Another residential crash, this one in Woodbridge, Virginia, occurred on December 2^nd.  Articles report that a Freightliner tractor-trailer crashed into a passenger vehicle that was trying to turn left across the semi’s lane.

The wreck was catastrophic. The vehicles lost control. By the end, the semi had struck 11 vehicles and crashed into a condo building. Four people were sent to the hospital with serious injuries, and several of the apartment building’s residents were left without a place to stay due to the destruction.

What Happens When Truckers Ignore “No Truck” Signs?

Residents of Louisville, Kentucky, have been fighting for a heavy-truck ban in an area of town for decades.

According to residents, the Limerick and Old Louisville neighborhoods experience a huge, daily influx of heavy-truck traffic. In fact, after setting up a camera system, a resident found that about 145 heavy trucks use his road each day.

These vehicles, ranging from box trucks to semi tractor-trailers, have caused property damage to cars and homes. One woman reported hundreds of dollars in damage.

The ordinance that these residents have proposed would prohibit large trucks — defined as vehicles heavier than 21,000 pounds — from driving on certain streets. Delivery trucks are excluded from this. The streets outlined in the proposal are often used by commercial vehicles as shortcuts to I-65.

Residents believe that banning heavy trucks from these streets will eliminate much of the noise, air pollution, and property damage.

Unfortunately, the city’s Public Works Committee did not pass the ordinance at its meeting in December 2024, so residents must persevere a bit longer if they want to see their roads made safer.

In Dearborn County, Indiana, State Road 1 runs from I-74 to Lawrenceburg. Many truck drivers try to avoid weigh stations by using SR-1 from I-275 and I-74. There are signs prohibiting semis and large trucks, but the truck drivers ignore them and endanger everyone by using this stretch of two-lane highway.

What Matters Most: Protecting Residential Areas from Large Truck Dangers

This issue affects some people more than others, and it isn’t often recognized as a pressing issue in trucking. However, for families who have seen people injured or killed, sustained property damage, or whose lives have been impacted by heavy-truck traffic, a solution is necessary.

As speeding and road rage worsen and truckers are inadequately trained, we must focus on keeping pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers safe. If you’ve been injured, or if someone you know was hurt or killed by a reckless truck, reach out to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Why Choose Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for Your Truck Accident Case

Craig, Kelley & Faultless offers free case consultations and has the experience to help you through a tragic accident. Contact our truck-wreck attorneys today at (800) 746-0226 or with our online form.

David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.