San José, Costa Rica—Two family members died Friday when their sedan slid underneath the chassis of a commercial tractor-trailer on a rain-slicked stretch of the Inter-American Highway. The horrific underride collision crushed the front half of the passenger vehicle, rendering safety airbags and structural frames useless. Highway patrol units received emergency alerts from passing motorists at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The tractor-trailer had slowed down to navigate a temporary construction bottleneck when the trailing sedan failed to brake in time. Slick road conditions caused the smaller vehicle to hydroplane directly beneath the rear platform of the semi-trailer. The force of the impact sheared off the roof of the car and trapped the occupants instantly.
Red Cross paramedics arrived with specialized extrication equipment, but confirmed that both family members inside the sedan had already perished. Fire department personnel spent over an hour cutting through steel bars and truck safety guards to extract the bodies. Traffic police managed single-lane alternating passage, creating severe bottlenecks along the vital international trade artery.
The driver of the tractor-trailer passed mandatory breathalyzer tests at the scene. Transport ministry inspectors examined the rear underride protection guards of the commercial trailer to check for regulatory compliance. Initial findings suggest the high speed of the sedan combined with heavy mist severely reduced reaction times.
The tragedy renewed urgent discussions among transport officials regarding mandatory retrofitting of rear underride guards on all heavy freight operating in the country. Safety advocates have repeatedly pointed out that underride collisions result in disproportionately high fatality rates on national highways. Commercial transport associations argue that current maintenance checks already meet regional standards.
Investigators continue gathering witness testimonies from motorists who traveled directly behind the vehicles when the crash occurred. The identities of the victims are being withheld pending formal notification of extended family members.
Tow trucks cleared the wreckage from the highway just before nightfall. Highway maintenance crews applied absorbent material to clean up engine fluids spilled across the asphalt.
Normal circulation along this section of the Inter-American Highway remains slow. Transit authorities urge drivers to maintain extended following distances during afternoon rainstorms
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