Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers told reporters that heavy fog and black ice caused six traffic accidents in Yakima and another six accidents in Tri-Cities between the evening of January 18 and the following morning. While officials reported no serious injuries or fatalities, the accidents kept officials busy. To the troopers who responded to the scenes of the accidents, one thing was clear: drivers need to slow down.
Talking to news outlets reporting on the crashes, troopers said that drivers need to keep in mind that when roads are covered in black ice, vehicles are more likely to slide off the roadway. Driving the speed limit isn’t good enough in these conditions. When fog is also present, they added, drivers must be even more mindful of their speed, and slow down.
Unfortunately, many drivers go too fast for the frozen road conditions. Another serious mistake drivers make is to not turn all of their lights on.
“Number one, turn on all your lights on your vehicle,” one trooper told reporters.
“Some makes and models don’t automatically turn them on, so, manually turn those on. Number two, look out for black ice. If the temps are under 32 degrees and the roadway is wet there may be a possibility that the roadway is gonna freeze over.”
If Conditions Are Unfavorable, Consider Staying Home To Avoid Accidents
Just before temperatures started dropping dramatically, WSP officials reminded drivers that there were certain steps they should take to avoid winter-related accidents. One of their recommendations involves staying on top of real-time weather and traffic reports. By staying informed, you can make a better decision regarding your driving choices and if road conditions worsen considerably by the time you are planning on leaving, reconsidering your options could help prevent accidents.
If you still need to hit the road, remember all of the foolproof safety tips we shared earlier and drive safely.
For more on the accidents caused by black ice and fog, click here.
