Motorist is Killed by Impact With Loose Manhole Cover

Case Overview

This case involves a motorist in Iowa who struck a loose manhole cover and was killed in the resulting crash. At the time of the incident in question, the manhole frame was under construction, and the crew had abandoned the site. However, when the incident occurred, there were no warnings or barriers around the manhole cover, which resulted in the decedent approaching the manhole at a high rate of speed. In the resulting crash, the decedent’s car struck the manhole with its right front tire, at which point the cover came loose and allowed the tire to fall into the open manhole. The car then flipped over in the roadway, at which point it was struck by another vehicle moving in the opposite direction.