Change needed to avoid deaths from?semi-trucks

How sad, another death of two people resulting from a possibly negligent driver of a semi-trailer truck. Two people from Wisconsin driving on U.S. 20 near Holstein stopped for construction behind a semi-trailer truck and they were crushed in a fiery death when another semi-trailer truck crashed into the back of their car (“Iowa crash killed 2 from Wisconsin, officials say,” June 20 story).

How often can semi-trailer truck drivers ignore the law and human common sense on our roadways, particularly in construction zones? This again was no sudden-brake action on the part of the car driver as is so often claimed in defense of the semi-trailer truck drivers. The car was sitting stopped behind another semi-trailer truck sitting stopped in a construction zone.

From most observations, construction zones are well marked with sufficient early warnings to slow and show caution. Can't the trucking companies or driver's associations get that point across to everybody? Mechanical failure might be a cause but detailed investigation by our Department of Transportation and a report to the courts and by the media to the public is in order. A cost-benefit excuse of deaths per a certain number miles driven doesn't do it.

Jim Beatty

Cedar Rapids