Interstate 80 or I-80 in Iowa Accident Report

September 27, 2010 - I-80 eastbound at the 92,80 mile marker we have the 42-year-old driver of a 2003 VW bug approaching a previous accident scene when he swerves to avoid another car and ends up striking the Stuart Firefighter, 54-year-old Bobby Airhart who is providing support at the scene. Airhart is in critical condition after being airlifted to Mercy-Des Moines. While distracted driving isn't a crime, failing to obey the rules of the road is and many times it's preceded by a distracted driver. Highway road workers and emergency workers have to have their heads on a swivel just to stay alive.

September 29, 2010 - Cass County, Iowa - In this rear end collision on I-80 we have two semi-trucks colliding. The driver of the truck in front was getting up to speed after coming off a ramp and the driver to the rear asserts the sun was in his eyes. One driver was cited for following too close. Here is the ISP Trooper's description: UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 80 WHEN HE CAME UP ON A SEMI THAT WAS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45MPH. UNIT 1 WAS UNABLE TO GET SLOWED DOWN OR MERGE AND STRUCK UNIT 2 IN THE REAR. UNIT 2 DRIVER ADVISED THEY JUST MERGED ON AT THE 70MM AND WERE GETTING UP TO SPEED WHEN THEY WERE STRUCK FROM BEHIND. UNIT 2 DRIVER WAS BROUGHT TO CASS COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WITH COMPLAINTS OF BACK PROBLEMS. UNIT 1 DRIVER ADVISED THE SUN WAS IN HIS EYES AND DIDN'T SEE ANY VEHICLES UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. UNIT 2 PASSENGER WAS ALSO TRANSPORTED TO CASS COUNTY HOSPITAL AFTER HE WAS COMPLAINING OF BACK INJURIES HOUR AFTER ON SCENE. Take note of the time of the collision and the direction of travel. The time is 8:00 a.m. and the drivers are eastbound, facts that support the at-fault driver's assertion of the sun being in his eyes. As you should know, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

September 28, 2010 - Pottawattamie County, Iowa - In this collision on westbound I-80 we have two trucks with oversized loads sideswiping each other as the one attempts a passing maneuver the inside lane truck. Here is the description: VEHICLE #1AND #2 WERE BOTH WEST BOUND ON I-80. VEHICLE #1 WAS A HERTZ MOVING VAN PULLING A FLAT BED UTILITY TRAILER WITH A 1978 BUICK LESABRE ON IT. VEHICLE #2 WAS A OVERSIZED LOAD SEMI PULLING AN ADJUSTABLE FLATBED TRAILER WITH A ELECTICAL WINDMILL TOWER ON IT. THE DRIVER OF VEHICLE #1 WAS PASSING VEHICLE #2 AND LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK THE WINDMILL TOWER. THE CONTACT RIPPED OPEN THE TOP RIGHT CARGO AREA OF VEHICLE #1 AND CAUSED ONLY MINOR SCRAPES ON THE METAL TOWER. THE ACTUAL CONTACT TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY THE 47 OR 48MM. BOTH VEHICLES WERE MOVED TO EXIT 46 FOR SAFETY REASONS.

September 27, 2010 - Polk County, Iowa - In this two car accident we have two cars moving to the passing lane at the same time and a wreck ensued. From reviewing the ISP report I'd say the trooper didn't cite either driver but concluded that the driver of vehicle number 1, Staples, was at fault. Here is the description of the Martin Staples (64 from Altoona, Iowa) and Madisen Meinders (17 from Pleasant Hill, Iowa) accident: UNIT #1 WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON I80 IN THE RIGHT/OUTSIDE LANE. UNIT #2 WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON I80 IN THE LEFT/INSIDE LANE. UNIT #2 CHANGED TO THE CENTER LANE FOR A VEHICLE WANTING TO PASS. AT THE SAME TIME UNIT #1 WAS INTENDING TO CHANGE TO THE CENTER LANE TO PASS A VEHICLE. UPON INITIAL INVESTIGATION BOTH VEHICLES MOVED INTO THE CENTER LANE AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME. UNIT #1'S FRONT DRIVER SIDE IMPACTED UNIT #2'S REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THIS CAUSED UNIT #2 TO GOING INTO A LONG SKID TOWARDS THE CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRIER. UNIT #2 DID COLLIDE WITH THE CONCRETE BARRIER AND SLID ALONG THE BARRIER BEFORE COMING TO A REST. UNIT #1 PULLED ONTO THE OUTSIDE SHOULDER. UPON RETURNING TO THE SCENE TO VIEW THE SKID MARKS; UNIT #2'S SKID MARKS BEGAN WHILE IT WAS CENTERED IN THE CENTER LANE. THE SKID MARKS CONTINUED UNTIL THE VEHICLE IMPACTED THE CONCRETE BARRIER. THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT UNIT #2 HAD COMPLETED ITS LANE CHANGE WHEN IT WAS IMPACTED BY UNIT #1.

There are so many crashes on I-80 of lately. See below:

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A crash occurred in Adair County on September 26, 2010

UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2 WERE BOTH EAST BOUND ON I-80. THE DRIVER OF UNIT 1 STATED HE WAS DRIVING 55MPH. AT THIS TIME THE DRIVER OF UNIT 2 STATED HE WAS DRIVING 65- ...

1. A crash occurred in Johnson County on September 25, 2010
   
   VEHICLE 2 WAS WEST BOUND I 80 AT THE 239.95 MM. TRAFFIC AHEAD WAS SLOWING AND STOPPING DUE TO A LARGE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC TRYING TO EXIT I 80 WB TO I 380 NB. V ...
2. A crash occurred in Johnson County on September 25, 2010
   
   VEHICLES 1 AND 2 WERE WESTBOUND ON I-80 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ASSOCIATED WITH A U OF IOWA FOOTBALL POST GAME PERIOD. A REAR END COLLISION OCCURED WEST OF VEHICL ...
3. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 25, 2010
   
   THE DRIVER OF UNIT #1 WAS TAKING THE RAMP FROM I 80 WESTBOUND TO I 35 NORTHBOUND WHEN HE LOST CONTROL AND ENTERED INTO THE WEST DITCH. THE VEHICLE ROLLED ONE T ...
4. A crash occurred in Poweshiek County on September 25, 2010
   
   UNIT 1TRAVELING WESTBOUND I-80 IN THE LEFT LANE. UNIT 2 TRAVELING WESTBOUND I-80 IN THE RIGHT LANE. UNIT 1TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID SLOWER TRAFFIC IN THE LEF ...
5. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 25, 2010
   
   UNIT 1 WAS WESTBOUND ON I-80 IN THE OUTSIDE LANE. UNIT 2, A RED FRIGHTLINER WITH A LIGHT COLORED TRAILER, WAS WESTBOND ON I-80 IN THE CENTER LANE OF TRAVEL. U ...
6. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 25, 2010
   
   UNIT 1 WAS ENTERING WESTBOUND I-80 FROM NORTHBOUND HWY 65. THE DRIVER OF UNIT 1 LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. UNIT 1ROTATED 180 DEGREES COUNTER CLOCKWISE. THE ...
7. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 23, 2010
   
   VEHICLE #1 IS EASTBOUND ON I80 AT THE 139MM DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES OF TRAVEL. VEHICLE #2 IS DIRECTLY BEHIND VEHICLE #1. TRAFFIC SLOWS DUE TO RA ...
8. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 22, 2010
   
   VEHICLES TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON I80 AT APPROXIMATELY THE 133.4MM. DRIVER OF UNIT 1 FALLS ASLEEP, AND SIDESWIPES VEHICLE 2 NEAR THE BACK DUELS OF THE TRAILER. T ...
9. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 22, 2010
   
   UNIT 1 WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO INTERSTATE 80 WESTBOUND FROM HWY 65. AS UNIT 1 ACCELERATED, SHE LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK THE CEMENT JERSEY WALL AND THEN CRO ...
10. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 21, 2010
    
    VEHICLE #1 IS WESTBOUND AT THE 137MM OF I80 DRIVING IN THE INSIDE OF TWO LANES OF WESTBOUND TRAVEL. VEHICLE #2 IS TAKING THE NORTHBOUND I235 RAMP TO GO WESTBO ...
11. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 21, 2010
    
    ON 9-21-10 AT APPROX 1610 HRS ALL UNITS INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE TRAVELLING EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 80 AT THE 140 MILE MARKER. IT WAS RAINING EXTREMELY H ...
12. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 21, 2010
    
    VEHICLE #1 WAS EXITING INTERSTATE 80 TO NORTHBOUND INTERSTATE 35 WHEN ANOTHER NON-CONTACT VEHICLE MERGED FROM THE RIGHT INTO THE EXIT LANE. VEHICLE #1 LOST CON ...
13. A crash occurred in Cedar County on September 21, 2010
    
    VEHICLE 1 WAS TRAVELING EAST ON I-80 IN THE LEFT LANE APPROACHING THE CEDAR RIVER BRIDGE (265 MILE MARKER) IN A NON-ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION ZONE. VEHICLE 1 LOST CO ...
14. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 20, 2010
    
    VEHICLE #1 IS EASTBOUND I80 AT THE 142MM DRIVING IN THE OUTSIDE OR RIGHT LANE OF TWO LANES OF TRAVEL. VEHICLE #2 IS DIRECTLY BEHIND VEHICLE #1. THIS AREA IS ...
15. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 20, 2010
    
    VEHICLE 2 WAS EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 80 AT THE 139MM. VEHICLE 2 WAS SLOWING/STOPPING FOR TRAFFIC. VEHICLE 1 WAS ALSO EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 80 AT THE 139. ...
16. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 20, 2010
    
    TRAFFIC SLOWING/STOPPING ON I80 EB AT THE 142MM. VEHICLE 4 WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS AND CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION WITH VEHICLES 1,2, AND 3. VEHICLES ...

A crash occurred in Pottawattamie County on September 20, 2010

VEHICLE #1 WAS WB I 80 WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST HIS DRIVER SEAT AND LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE #1 STRUCK THE BRIDGE AND CAME TO FINAL REST.

1. A crash occurred in Cass County on September 20, 2010
   
   UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 80 AT APPROXIMATELY 66.6MM. WHEN THE DRIVER STATED HE FELL ASLEEP AND ENTERED THE SOUTH DITCH. THE UNIT WAS PULLING ...
2. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 20, 2010
   
   THE DRIVER OF UNIT #1 WAS WESTBOUND ON I 80 AND WAS ENTERING THE RAMP TO I 235 SOUTHBOUND. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE AND ENTERED INTO THE SOUTH DI ...
3. A crash occurred in Jasper County on September 20, 2010
   
   UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WEST ON INTERSTATE 80. THE DRIVER STATED A TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BLEW OUT, CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE CONCRETE BARRIER. UN ...
4. A crash occurred in Polk County on September 19, 2010
   
   VEHICLE #1 ATTEMPTS TO TAKE THE I80 WESTBOUND OFF RAMP TO I35 NORTHBOUND RAMP. VEHICLE #1 LOOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND LEAVES THE ROADWAY ON THE RIGHT SI ...