Pedestrian Killed by 18-Wheeler on I-29 near North Sioux City, SD
North Sioux City, SD — November 26, 2022, a 39-year-old woman died after being hit by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 29 near North Sioux City.
Authorities say the incident happened around 5:00 a.m. along northbound I-29. Preliminary investigation suggests a Kenworth Construction semi-truck was towing trailers north on the highway when it hit the victim, who was reportedly walking in a travel lane.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was unhurt.
The crash remains under investigation. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Pedestrian Accident on I-29 near North Sioux City
I've encountered many people over the years who felt that pedestrian accidents on highways, while tragic, were mostly due to someone being on foot in a place they shouldn't be. It's true that a busy interstate is a risky place to walk, but at the same time fault is never automatic after an accident. Every incident's specifics must be learned to find out whether it could or should have been avoided or its damage reduced.
With that in mind investigators still have to look at a lot of details: Where exactly was the pedestrian in relation to the road, and what were they doing when the truck approached? Why was she there? Was the truck driver awake, alert, and watching their surroundings? Did anything block their view of the victim? Was there any other traffic around and did other drivers successfully avoid the pedestrian before the truck came along? Was there any ambient light in that area, like streetlights? Was the victim wearing dark or light clothing?
Those questions and the many others like them that need answers aren't about overcomplicating things; it's just important to know as much as possible about all the incident's possible factors. Further careful investigation could show a clear and simple explanation for what happened here, but it could also show that things are more complicated than anyone first realized. Whatever is learned, the most important thing is to get the victim's loved ones some much-needed answers about their terrible loss. Anything beyond that vital step would depend on what those answers are.
