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Car and Tractor Trailer Accidents

6/20/2009
Steve Lombardi
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What can cause a driver to lose control on a gravel roadway in Iowa?

On June 14th 2009 Tanya Kay Morris was heading south on Osage Avenue in Jefferson County, Iowa when she lost control of her Chevrolet HHR causing her to enter the east ditch before coming back onto the roadway and overturning several times. A passenger in her car Mark Eugene Reighard died as a result of the injuries suffered in the crash and 10 year old Janecia Morris and Tanya Morris also suffered non-life threatening injuries. Charges are currently pending against Mrs. Morris and the accident remains under investigation.

I often wonder about the causes of accidents, collisions or wrecks whatever you prefer to call them. In this instance we have a driver losing control of the vehicle but there isn't really a clear or obvious explanation as to why. This is a gravel roadway but that in and of itself isn't enough. So what are the likely causes?

Speed of the car.
Inattention of the driver to changing conditions.
Driver distractions that allow changing conditions to take control of the car's trajectory.
Alcohol impairing the driver's ability to maintain control.
Activity in the passenger compartment that causes the driver to give up control of the car's operation.
A malfunction in the car's steering or braking systems.
The presence of another vehicle.
A deer running across the road.
Cattle being in the roadway.
A dog or cat being in the roadway.
The driver's attempt to avoid something in the roadway.
A rut in the road.
The building up of gravel that makes a tunnel in the road's surface.
Improper grading of the gravel.

In thirty years of practicing law I've seen more than my share of reasons or causes. As drivers we are responsible for the safety of our passengers and it makes no difference if the driver dies in the accident.

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