WOODBURY COUNTY, Iowa — Kelli Sue Thoma, a 52-year-old from Sioux City, Iowa, tragically died Feb. 23 in a rollover accident on Highway 20 in Sioux City.
Local authorities said Thoma lost control of her eastbound SUV near mile marker 4 at about 8:25 a.m. The SUV veered off the roadway, entered the southeast ditch, and rolled over before coming to rest.
Thoma was pronounced dead at the scene of the rollover. No other vehicles or persons were involved.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing. Authorities have not released any additional information.
Commentary on the rollover accident that claimed the life of Kelli Sue Thoma
I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Ms. Kelli Sue Thoma in a horrific rollover accident. The family left behind is undoubtedly mourning the death of their loved one and seeking answers to explain the moments leading to her passing.
Rollover accidents are difficult to understand because the cause of the harm is not readily present. Most folks will focus their attention on the acts causing the accident and blame those acts. However, In rollover accidents especially, the focus isn’t as much on the cause of the accident as the cause of the injury.
Under the law, responsibility is determined by looking at those that caused the injury. Often, the cause of the injury and the cause of the accident is the same. However, in a rollover accident, the injury can often be prevented if the auto manufacturer takes specific steps to prevent harm from occurring. That is, a vehicle manufactured with sufficient safety features will prevent serious injury from occurring in the majority of rollover accidents. Thus, the real question in this accident asks whether the manufacturer designed this SUV to withstand the force of a foreseeable rollover accident. This is the answer the Thoma family deserves answered.
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