Child Killed, Father Injured when Big Rig Hits Stopped Traffic in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines, IA — July 19, 2022, an 11-year-old boy died and his father was injured when a big rig crashed into slowed traffic on I-80/35 in Des Moines.
According to reports the incident happened Tuesday night along I-80/35 near 14th Street. Preliminary investigation suggests traffic was backed up in the area due to a motorcycle accident ahead near the East Mixmaster. As vehicles slowed and stopped, a tractor-trailer failed to reduce its speed and plowed into a car, pushing it into the vehicle ahead of it.
A child in the struck vehicle was fatally injured. The driver, his father, received unspecified injuries.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Truck Accident on I-80/35 in Des Moines
Situations like this happen most often when a truck driver is doing something inside the rig besides watching the road. Indeed, investigators mentioned distracted driving as the possible culprit in the Iowa wreck too. They'd still have to prove that, of course, but they often learn they're right after finding half-written texts or movies paused on the driver's phone.
Of course, even if they strongly suspect the driver was to blame that doesn't mean he or his employer have to agree. Many crash victims assume the at-fault parties have no real wiggle room after a big rig plows into traffic like this, but even when a trucker's fault seems clear on paper their employers typically say something else was to blame: Sudden and surprising brake failures, sun glare, the victims stopped too suddenly for the driver to react...the excuses go on and on, and no matter how ridiculous they may sound they still have to be overcome with clear evidence.
Getting that evidence actually falls to the victims and their families, which can be a tall order while they're still reeling from the damage they suffered. That's why I often suggest working with independent investigators and other allies to get they proof they need. Ensuring their story is confirmed with indisputable facts is key for getting them the help they deserve--and the accountability the trucking company deserves.
