Heavy snow in US strands drivers in 100-vehicle crash

Law enforcement officials said on Monday (Jan 19) that they were working to clear roads after a 100-vehicle crash occurred on snow-blanketed roads in the northern state of Michigan.

Michigan State Police said numerous injuries were reported in the crash, with none ‘believed to be fatal’, after big-rig trucks and vehicles collided on the I-196 corridor, causing many vehicles to run off the road in ‘multiple slide-offs’.

Pedro Mata Jr told AP he could barely see the cars in front of him as the snow blew across the road while driving 32-40kmh before the crash. He was able to stop his pickup safely, but then decided to pull his truck off the road into the median to avoid being hit from behind.

‘It was a little scary just listening to everything, the bangs and booms behind you. I saw what was in front of me. I couldn’t see what was behind me exactly,’ Mata said.
The Monday morning incident included 30 to 40 semi-trucks piled up and blocking the typically busy interstate road, which remained closed hours later.

Officials urged motorists to slow down in ‘treacherous’ conditions on Monday, with a winter storm continuing to dump snow on the region and temperatures expected to fall to -22°C, including wind chill. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) said ‘snow and blowing snow’ with accumulations of up to four inches were expected overnight, bringing the current storm total to as high as 35.5cm for portions of southwest and west central Michigan.

‘Travel is not recommended in the area,’ NWS said in a statement.

Source: CNA 
--Agencies