The Iowa State Patrol recently released dash cam video of a crash that they blame on a truck driver who was distracted by eating or drinking.
The dash cam video was released on December 13.
The incident captured in the video happened on the morning of Monday, October 29, near Monroe, Iowa. An Iowa trooper was directing drivers away from the scene of a previous fatal crash on Highway 163 when a reportedly distracted semi truck driver crossed over the fog line on the right side of the highway and slammed into the trooper’s parked cruiser. In the dash cam video, you can see the trooper sprinting away from the roadway as the truck barrels towards his vehicle.
No injuries were reported.
Iowa State Patrol blamed the crash on distracted driving and wrote the following in a Facebook post:
“An Iowa State Trooper was directing traffic outside of his vehicle in October for a fatality accident that occurred earlier just a few miles south of this location on Hwy 163 near Monroe. Clear visibility, all emergency lights activated, reflective vest worn, still did not get the attention of this distracted driver. Watch the trooper take off running after noticing the Semi on the “rumble strips” for an extended period of time. Slow down, put the phone down, and buckle up!!!”
The Iowa State Patrol went on to clarify that the the driver’s distraction was “Eating or Drinking Related” and that the “end result is the same whether they were texting, reaching for something, dealing with passengers etc. The driver’s attention was not where it should have been, which is what led to be the primary cause of this crash.”
Take a look at the dash cam video below.
