Overnight snowfall sends drivers spinning, crashing in advance of expected blizzard
Snow that fell overnight on Washtenaw County roads caused numerous crashes and spinouts this morning, dispatchers with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department said.
Emergency crews were dealing with at least four crashes on Ann Arbor-area freeways at 9:45 a.m., a dispatcher said.
They included:
- Northbound US-23 at Plymouth Road.
- Westbound I-94 east of US-23.
- Eastbound M-14 at US-23.
- Westbound M-14 east of Ford Road.
Police have been dealing with crashes all morning and at one time were responding to a dozen crashes on I-94 from one side of Washtenaw County to the other.
More than inch of snow fell overnight, said the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, but it was just a tiny foretaste of what's to come. A blizzard warning has been issued for the area from 7 tonight until 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Check AnnArbor.com throughout the day for updates on the storm. For up-to-date forecasts, check our weather page.
Comments
FoxviewFarm
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 10:52 p.m.
It was nuts this am. I have no idea why, but I make the drive to WSU every weekday and this morning was stupid. I swear some people want to get in accidents- not using their signals and tailgating is just plain dumb. Darwin, however, would have to amhend his theory- these are the ones that kill others. I wish it was different. But having seen more than my fair share of accidents, I tend to believe that often the "accident" was caused by idiots ( is that name calling? If so, sorry mods...) who proceeds down the road with no other thought in their fool heads other than "gotta get there! No matter the weather, nor others, *I* gotta get there!". Oh- and I have no proof. Its purely observation :)
Ignatz
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 4:21 p.m.
I had no trouble coming in to work today. I take secondary roads, don't drive too fast for conditions, have great tires with front wheel drive, don't talk on the phone or read, and allow a good distance for the vehicle ahead of me. Seems simple, but I suppose some can't grasp simplicity.
Bertha Venation
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 3:33 p.m.
I'm amazed at all the idiots I saw with cell phones in their hands, not paying attention to their driving and weaving all over the road this morning. Can't wait until tomorrow.
rusty shackelford
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 3:31 p.m.
Man, drivers in these parts are extra incompetent. An inch of snow and everything turns to bedlam? C'mon, what are we, Atlanta?
jcj
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 3:19 p.m.
DHB I stand by my statement that "most people involved in accidents this time of year are not new to accidents" But I can't prove it. So you can do what you want with that statement. As far as my statement "BUT I guarantee you if you look at the person at fault in most accidents they are habitual offenders." I would amend that to say. I firmly believe if you look at the person at fault in most accidents this is not the first time they have been at fault. And this includes just driving into the ditch or an incident that was not reported. The statement about our personal driving record was offered as evidence that if you are careful, pay attention and are courteous to other drivers you can avoid accidents most of the time. And if you are not you will most likely have a much different driving record! @loves-fall very eloquently put!
tim
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 3:17 p.m.
All you need to remember: Centrifugal force ( the car wants to move in one direction ) + the road moving in another direction + low traction ( tire friction on the road ) due to snow and ice = wreck
Cash
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:59 p.m.
Maybe we should all offer up an award to the worse driver we see today. Mine would be the green Grand Am on Forest Ave/Prospect that rode everyone's bumper and ran a red light. However, "runners-up" (excuse the pun) would be the 2 young male joggers at Michigan Ave and N.Adams near the COB. If I was not a safe driver (looking out for idiots is my specialty) you would be hospitalized this morning.
DBH
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:57 p.m.
jcj, you stated that you "guaranteed" that the person at fault in most accidents is a habitual offender. I did not state that the person at fault in most accidents is NOT a habitual offender. I really don't know if they are or are not. Therefore, I have no need to prove anything, as I have not made any definitive statements to prove. Your other question about insurance claims is irrelevant to this story, or to the validity of your previous statement regarding the characteristic of people at fault in most accidents. My comment was not an ad hominem attack on you, only a request for evidence (which you apparently do not have) supporting your claim.
loves_fall
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:53 p.m.
FWIW, jcj's contention may be in some part supported by the pareto principle (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle);" rel='nofollow'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle);</a> approximately 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Check out the links in this article for more information, including data from empirical studies using people and behaviors. I don't think it would be at all unusual for the majority of accidents to be caused by the same minority of people. My personal theory is this: if people don't exhibit relatively immediate learning from accidents/incidents (i.e., while they are in the driver training/early driver phase), they aren't going to learn. Most people are at least somewhat receptive to "punishment" or threat (economic/health consequences from accidents or the fear of what could have happened from near-misses). Some people aren't. So, if they don't learn from the first, second, or third at-fault crash and keep on exhibiting the same behaviors, they are bound to continue to run into the same troubles. If they haven't changed after the first couple, what evidence is there to suggest that they will change after subsequent occurrences?
jcj
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
DHB I can not prove my "personal opinion or gut feeling" any more than you can disprove it! If all comments on this site were restricted to what can be backed up with "factual data or reference that corroborates" then I suspect there would be very few comments to read. I will readily admit that I have no data to back up my statement. But what I can say is that between my wife and I we have turned in one insurance claim in a combined 80 years of driving. And the other driver in that accident was ticketed for failing to stop at a stop sign! Can you say the same?
jcj
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:14 p.m.
Wow ! What did I say? I think only mentioned that most people involved in accidents this time of year are not new to accidents because they never learn how to drive in snow or are unwilling to listen! There are many victims that through no fault of there own are dragged into these accidents. BUT I guarantee you if you look at the person at fault in most accidents they are habitual offenders.
DBH
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:28 p.m.
jcj, not that I believe or disbelieve you, but please provide some factual data or reference that corroborates your contention that the person at fault in most accidents is a habitual offender, something that would allow us to distinguish your comment from personal opinion or gut feeling. Thanks.
Brad
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2 p.m.
That's a great idea. Get your crash out of the way before the crash crush tomorrow. "crashing in advance of expected blizzard"?
loves_fall
Tue, Feb 1, 2011 : 2:56 p.m.
Hey, if you crash today you can get more individual attention than if you crash tomorrow. Today you can enjoy being a crash victim; tomorrow, you'll just be a statistic. ;)