Following too close on I-80 is asking for trouble.

For good advice see a lawyer and if you have questions about this blog, the law or your case write or call me directly. Steve Lombardi, sdlombardi@aol.com and 515-222-1110. I handle all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, workers' compensation cases. We help truckers all across the country who come through Iowa and end up in an accident. If we need other lawyers from other states we hire them and it costs you no more than what you would pay us; in other words, we split the fee between us. So call 515-222-1110 or email us at sdlombardi@aol.com.
Steve Lombardi, Attorney

Blog Category:

I-35 I-80 I-235 I-380 Collisions/Accidents

1/23/2012
Steve Lombardi
Comments (0)

Following too close on I-80 is asking for trouble.

In this description we have one car following the one in front too close and as traffic slows the driver isn’t able to stop before crashing into the rear. Now assuming the one in front didn’t suddenly and without warning cut in, and reduce the stopping distance, the one to the rear is normally at fault. We handle these cases so if we can help give us a call at 515-222-1110 or sdlombardi@aol.com.

The description by the State Trooper says this: VEHICLE #1 WAS TRAVELING WEST ON INTERSTATE 80 AND FOLLOWING VEHICLE #2 TOO CLOSE WHEN IT STRUCK VEHICLE #2 WHICH WAS SLOWING FOR TRAFFIC. THIS COLLISION CAUSED VEHICLE #2 TO STRIKE VEHICLE #3. ROADWAY CONDITIONS WERE 100% SNOW AND ICE COVERED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Crash Information

L O C A T I O N	Date of Accident 1/17/2012	Time of Accident 12:42 PM	County Polk - 77	Accident occurred within corporate limits of (city) Urbandale - 7875	Law Enforcement Case Number: 2012003182
	Literal Description I80 W.B. AT MM 131				Legal Intervention? No	Private Property? No
					X-Coordinate: 441148.5
					Y-Coordinate 4611438.

U N I T 1	Driver's Name - Last KEMPF			First ALVIN			Middle R		Suffix JR
	City MOKENA			State IL - Illinois, US				Zip 60448
	Driver's Age 65					Citation Charge Code 1 321.307		Citation Charge 1 FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE
	Gender Male	State IL - Illinois, US	Class D - Chauffeur	Endorsements N - Tank	Restrictions N - Non-resident CDL	Citation Charge Code 2		Citation Charge 2
	Alcohol Test Given? 1 - None			Drug Test Given? 1 - None		Citation Charge Code 3		Citation Charge 3
						Citation Charge Code 4		Citation Charge 4
	Seating Position 01 - Front: Left Side / Motorcycle Driver	Injury Status 5 - Uninjured	Occupant Protection 2 - Shoulder and lap belt used		Airbag Deployment 1 - Deployed front of person	Airbag Switch Status 9 - Unknown		Ejection 1 - Not ejected	Ejection Path	Trapped 1 - Not trapped
	Transported to:					Transported by:
	Insurance Co. Name
	Year 2010		Make Chevrolet - CHEV		Model IMPALA		Style 4DR		Approximate Cost to Repair or Replace 10000
	Initial Travel Direction 4 - West	Vehicle Action 01 - Movement essentially straight	Speed Limit 65	Point of Initial Impact 01 - Front	Most Damaged Area 01 - Front	Extent of Damage 5 - Severe, vehicle totaled	Underride/Override 1 - None
	Total Occupants 1	Traffic Controls 01 - No controls present	Vehicle Config. 01 - Passenger car	Cargo Body Type 01 - Not applicable	Vehicle Defect 01 - None	Driver Condition 1 - Apparently normal	Vision Obscured 01 - Not obscured	Contributing Circumstances, Driver (up to 2)
	SEQUENCE OF EVENTS			First Event 21 - Vehicle in traffic	Second Event	Third Event	Fourth Event	Most Harmful Event (by vehicle) 21 - Vehicle in traffic
	Emergency Vehicle Type 1 - Not applicable					Emergency Status 3 - Not Applicable
	Carrier Name			City		State			Zip
	Number of Axles			Gross Vehicle Weight Rating		Placard #			Hazardous Materials Released?

U N I T 2	Driver's Name - Last CLARK			First CHRISTINE			Middle JELANE		Suffix
	City JOHNSTON			State IA - Iowa, US				Zip 501310000
	Driver's Age 18					Citation Charge Code 1		Citation Charge 1
	Gender Female	State IA - Iowa, US	Class C - Non-commercial vehicle or commercial Veh w/26000 GVWR or less & either 16 Pass Design or Hazmat	Endorsements None	Restrictions None	Citation Charge Code 2		Citation Charge 2
	Alcohol Test Given? 1 - None			Drug Test Given? 1 - None		Citation Charge Code 3		Citation Charge 3
						Citation Charge Code 4		Citation Charge 4
	Seating Position 01 - Front: Left Side / Motorcycle Driver	Injury Status 5 - Uninjured	Occupant Protection 2 - Shoulder and lap belt used		Airbag Deployment 5 - Not deployed	Airbag Switch Status 9 - Unknown		Ejection 1 - Not ejected	Ejection Path	Trapped 1 - Not trapped
	Transported to:					Transported by:
	Insurance Co. Name
	Year 2005		Make		Model LR3		Style SW		Approximate Cost to Repair or Replace 3000
	Initial Travel Direction 4 - West	Vehicle Action 01 - Movement essentially straight	Speed Limit 65	Point of Initial Impact 05 - Rear	Most Damaged Area 01 - Front	Extent of Damage 2 - Minor damage	Underride/Override 1 - None
	Total Occupants 1	Traffic Controls 01 - No controls present	Vehicle Config. 04 - Sport utility vehicle	Cargo Body Type 01 - Not applicable	Vehicle Defect 01 - None	Driver Condition 1 - Apparently normal	Vision Obscured 01 - Not obscured	Contributing Circumstances, Driver (up to 2)
	SEQUENCE OF EVENTS			First Event 21 - Vehicle in traffic	Second Event	Third Event	Fourth Event	Most Harmful Event (by vehicle) 21 - Vehicle in traffic
	Emergency Vehicle Type 1 - Not applicable					Emergency Status 3 - Not Applicable
	Carrier Name			City		State			Zip
	Number of Axles			Gross Vehicle Weight Rating		Placard #			Hazardous Materials Released?

U N I T 3	Driver's Name - Last BROOKS			First MELISA			Middle JOY		Suffix
	City GREENFIELD			State IA - Iowa, US				Zip 508490000
	Driver's Age 33					Citation Charge Code 1		Citation Charge 1
	Gender Female	State IA - Iowa, US	Class C - Non-commercial vehicle or commercial Veh w/26000 GVWR or less & either 16 Pass Design or Hazmat	Endorsements None	Restrictions None	Citation Charge Code 2		Citation Charge 2
	Alcohol Test Given? 1 - None			Drug Test Given? 1 - None		Citation Charge Code 3		Citation Charge 3
						Citation Charge Code 4		Citation Charge 4
	Seating Position 01 - Front: Left Side / Motorcycle Driver	Injury Status 5 - Uninjured	Occupant Protection 2 - Shoulder and lap belt used		Airbag Deployment 5 - Not deployed	Airbag Switch Status 3 - No ON/OFF switch present		Ejection 1 - Not ejected	Ejection Path	Trapped 1 - Not trapped
	Transported to:					Transported by:
	Insurance Co. Name
	Year 2006		Make		Model SPECTRA		Style 4DR		Approximate Cost to Repair or Replace 2000
	Initial Travel Direction 4 - West	Vehicle Action 01 - Movement essentially straight	Speed Limit 65	Point of Initial Impact 05 - Rear	Most Damaged Area 05 - Rear	Extent of Damage 2 - Minor damage	Underride/Override 1 - None
	Total Occupants 2	Traffic Controls 01 - No controls present	Vehicle Config. 01 - Passenger car	Cargo Body Type 01 - Not applicable	Vehicle Defect 01 - None	Driver Condition 1 - Apparently normal	Vision Obscured 01 - Not obscured	Contributing Circumstances, Driver (up to 2)
	SEQUENCE OF EVENTS			First Event 21 - Vehicle in traffic	Second Event	Third Event	Fourth Event	Most Harmful Event (by vehicle) 21 - Vehicle in traffic
	Emergency Vehicle Type 1 - Not applicable					Emergency Status 3 - Not Applicable
	Carrier Name			City		State			Zip
	Number of Axles			Gross Vehicle Weight Rating		Placard #			Hazardous Materials Released?

ACCIDENT ENVIRONMENT		ROADWAY CHARACTERISTICS Major Contributing Circumstances:	WORKZONE RELATED?	SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
Location of First Harmful Event 1 - On Roadway	Weather Conditions (up to two) 01 - Clear	Environment 1 - None apparent	Location	First Harmful Event of Crash (use codes 11-42 only) 21 - Vehicle in traffic
Manner of Crash/Collision 3 - Rear-end	Weather Conditions (up to two) 01 - Clear	Roadway 02 - Road surface condition	Type
Light Conditions 1 - Daylight	Surface Conditions 3	Type of Roadway Junction/Feature 01 - No special feature	Workers Present?

D
I
A
G
R
A
M

0

NARRATIVE

VEHICLE #1 WAS TRAVELING WEST ON INTERSTATE 80 AND FOLLOWING VEHICLE #2 TOO CLOSE WHEN IT STRUCK VEHICLE #2 WHICH WAS SLOWING FOR TRAFFIC. THIS COLLISION CAUSED VEHICLE #2 TO STRIKE VEHICLE #3. ROADWAY CONDITIONS WERE 100% SNOW AND ICE COVERED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Officer TJEPKES	Badge No. 074	Time Officer Notified of Accident 12:42	Time Officer Arrived At Scene 12:46
Name of Agency P01	Date of Report 1/17/2012	Investigation made at scene? Yes	T.I. #