CALHOUN COUNTY, Mich. (DDN) – Whiteout conditions produced yet another highway backup, closing I-94 in Calhoun County for many hours on Tuesday.
While the freeway reopened later Tuesday afternoon, heavy snow fell intermittently throughout the day, prompting Michigan State Police to advise drivers not to speed.
Troopers told News Channel 3 that three semi-trucks jackknifed on I-94 near Firekeepers Casino, causing a pile-up that destroyed several commercial vehicles.
The interstate closed at 11:30 a.m. and would not reopen for several hours while crews cleaned up the damage. Fortunately, any injuries sustained in the pileup were minimal, but some drivers’ already long journey was made even longer by the incident.
“I was coming up to get on 94, and it detoured me back to I-96 because the road was closed,” driver Larry Miller explained. “I mean, you’ve got to get to work. So whether you’re on your way there or home, it can be frustrating,” said Owosso resident Mike Partain.
According to authorities, the I-94 pileup was one of approximately 40 crashes in southwest Michigan’s nine counties, with a total of 600 in just over a month.
According to Lt. DuWayne Robinson of News Channel 3, this is about average for Michigan’s winter accident total, and the problem regions frequently remain the same.
The cause of Tuesday’s disaster has yet to be determined, but Robinson feels the reasons for these multi-car crashes are generally foreseeable.
While inattentive driving is always a risk, Robinson told News Channel 3 that overconfidence among drivers of larger and four-wheel-drive cars is also an issue. He warns drivers that even with the best equipment, wet roads will affect how they drive.
“This invincibility syndrome, ‘there’s no way possible my vehicle is going to slip on this ice because I have the best, manufactured vehicle for these conditions,'” Robinson went on.
According to Robinson, mental condition on the road is always important, especially when reaction time is limited during a winter storm.
“It’s not going to forgive you for that minor mistake that you would make on dry pavement versus, you know, an icy pavement,” Robinson pointed out. With temperatures dropping again next week, drivers will have to adjust to slippery roads for a time, according to state police.
Reference: Michigan State Police caution drivers as winter weather contributes to I-94 pileup
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