Central Texas authorities recorded about 250 crashes during the region’s recent deep freeze. Even though the officers had recommended that drivers simply stay home, some employees were still required to report to work. Officers say they responded to a total of 140 car accidents after 4 a.m. on Jan. 24, with others occurring earlier.
Area transportation officials say that wrecks occurred on Interstate 35 and nearby surface roads. Many of the bridges and overpasses in the area were still slick with ice when an SUV struck a guardrail on that road. The vehicle was towed away. Officers said that drivers may not realize that a sunny day does not necessarily mean the roads are safe; simply slowing down can make a big difference for everyone’s safety. Drivers who give themselves extra time to get to their destination may be less likely to get in a wreck.
Drivers are also urged to keep a safe distance between their own car and the vehicle ahead of them. Bridges, ramps and overpasses are particularly vulnerable to icing, for example, and they tend to freeze before other road surfaces, so extra care should be taken on those road features. Further, drivers can prepare for difficult weather by learning specific strategies such as skid management to maintain control.
News reports did not include injury statistics for the hundreds of crashes, but it is possible that someone suffered an injury in one of these car accidents. Victims in such vehicle accidents may be able to recover financial damages from at-fault drivers who fail to heed these basic rules of the road. Qualified Texas attorneys may be able to help those who suffer injury in such wrecks.
Source: KVUE, “Police respond to more than 250 crashes during freeze” Ashley Goudeau & Erin Coker, Jan. 24, 2014