Forty-Five-Vehicle Snowstorm Pileup Shuts I-70 and Delays Holiday Travel in Indiana
An Indiana snowstorm turned a routine drive home into a nightmare as a chain-reaction crash involving forty-five vehicles halted traffic on Interstate 70. A nightmare 45-vehicle crash brought traffic to a screeching halt as Indiana drivers made their way home from the holidays in the middle of a snow storm. Multiple commercial and passenger vehicles were involved in the crash along Interstate 70, ten miles from Terre Haute, per NBC Chicago. Several of the cars slid across the eastbound side to the median, into the grass, and even toward oncoming traffic on the westbound side of the highway.
In This Article:
- A 45-car chain-reaction crash snarls Interstate 70 near Terre Haute as cars slide into medians and oncoming lanes
- Winter Weather Advisory and Blustery Conditions Vigo County Braces for Snow Up to 3 Inches and 35 mph Winds
- Police Warn to Stay Home and Brace for Six-Hour Tie-Up; No Major Injuries Reported
- Nationwide Travel Disrupted: Flight Cancellations, Delays and Millions Warned in Winter Storm
- Storm Advances: Snow in Vigo County Continues; I-70 Reopens as Winds Persist
- Travel Safety Reminders: Headlights On, Buckle Up, and Longer Stopping Distances Are the Rule
A 45-car chain-reaction crash snarls Interstate 70 near Terre Haute as cars slide into medians and oncoming lanes
A 45-car pile-up blurred the highway near Terre Haute on Interstate 70 as blustery winter weather swirled through western Indiana. The incident involved both commercial and passenger vehicles in Indiana. Several cars slid across the eastbound side to the median, into the grass, and even toward oncoming traffic on the westbound side of the highway.
Winter Weather Advisory and Blustery Conditions Vigo County Braces for Snow Up to 3 Inches and 35 mph Winds
Much of western Indiana, including Vigo County where the crash occurred, is under a winter weather advisory until 10 a.m. Sunday. The hazardous weather conditions boasted snowfall up to three inches and wind speeds as high as 35 mph, according to the Weather Channel. Drivers were warned to 'plan on slippery roads.' 'Slow down and use caution while traveling,' read the warning from the weather service.
Police Warn to Stay Home and Brace for Six-Hour Tie-Up; No Major Injuries Reported
Indiana State Police announced that the pileup would cause a six-hour traffic halt during one of the busiest weekends of the year for travel. 'If you can stay home, just stay home' said Indiana State Police Putnamville district public information officer Sgt Matt Ames in a social media post. 'People need to drive smart when the snow starts falling, reduce your speed. Make sure you're buckled up.' In a statement to the Daily Mail, Ames reported that there were no major injuries. 'As always, we encourage motorist to drive accordingly to the road conditions,' he said.
Nationwide Travel Disrupted: Flight Cancellations, Delays and Millions Warned in Winter Storm
Holiday travel in the midwestern United States has been crippled by ongoing storms. On Saturday there were more than 2,400 flight cancellations and more than 20,800 flight delays in the US, according to FlightAware figures. Almost 82 million Americans were expected to travel between November 25 and December 1 and 46 million people were under winter weather warnings. Freezing weather conditions are expected to continue through the rest of the week.
Storm Advances: Snow in Vigo County Continues; I-70 Reopens as Winds Persist
The National Weather Service predicted that snow will continue in Vigo County through the rest of the night. High winds will bleed over into the next week with a chance of even more snow on Monday. Interstate 70 in Indiana had reopened as of 6 p.m. local time. Ames posted another social media video following clean up from the crash, warning travelers to exercise caution as they got back on the roadway. 'If you do have to get out and about make sure your headlights are activated,' he said. 'Make sure you're buckled up and of course you're not driving wall distracted.' Ames told drivers to increase their following distance and give themselves extra time to stop to prevent further terrifying pile-ups.
Travel Safety Reminders: Headlights On, Buckle Up, and Longer Stopping Distances Are the Rule
A final note from authorities: the conditions remain hazardous and travelers are urged to stay cautious, give themselves extra time, and use headlights and seat belts as the region recovers from the storm. Ames told drivers to increase their following distance and give themselves extra time to stop to prevent further terrifying pile-ups.
