An accident on Highway 63 near New Hampton, Iowa between a car and a semi truck has killed three people and injured two. The passengers were in a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu that was broadsided by a semi-truck. The accident happened at 6:20 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 63 and Chickasaw County Road B-54.
Those killed a 24-year-old man, a 29-year-old man, and a 25-year-old man. The 22-year-old driver of the car and another passenger were taken to Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton and then transferred to a Mason City hospital with injuries. The driver of the semi was not injured.
Troopers said that the car did not yield to a northbound semi-truck. The semi broadsided the car, ejecting one of the passengers.
Semi trucks are usually 20 to 30 times heavier than passenger trucks and cars, and accidents between these types of vehicles are usually deadly. Highway accidents are very complicated. A thorough inspection is needed to establish fault and to consider all of the factors that contributed to the accident.
These large commercial trucks must follow many specialized laws set in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. These laws were put in place to keep our highways safer and to protect people driving in passenger cars and trucks. These laws include:
- Driving the rigs only for a certain number of hours per day and week.
- Maintaining specific maintenance.
- Filling out maintenance logs every day.
- Specialized training and licensing for the drivers.
- Trucks must not be overloaded and must carry a certain weight.
- Maintaining specific insurance coverage.
