Ice-Related Crashes and Pile Ups on Pennsylvania Interstates

While the winter of 2014 will be remembered for its record snowfall, the winter of 2015 will most likely be remembered for its icy road hazards. On a recent Sunday morning, hundreds of car and truck accidents caused by icy road conditions left four people dead, dozens injured, and a 50 car pile-up on several Pennsylvania Interstates and roadways.
Interstates I-76, I-95, and I-476 became treacherous for motorists in Pikes County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Northampton County, and Lehigh County when light rain fell on cold roads, freezing instantly. Cars and commercial trucks lost control when they hit icy patches and slammed into other vehicles and veered off the road.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Penn DOT) had over 150 trucks out salting and sanding highways in anticipation of the storm predicted by the National Weather Service. Despite their best efforts, the icy conditions were occurring faster than they could lay the salt and sand down. Almost 400 emergency calls were reported during the early morning hours, some of them involving emergency vehicles being disabled or involved in crashes. Motorists found themselves stranded on the side of the road, or forced to pull off the roadway and wait for temperatures to rise and road conditions to improve.

The Delaware River Port Authority closed bridges between New Jersey and Pennsylvania when surfaces began to freeze. Crews worked to lay salt and sand down and reopened the bridges as temperatures rose across the region. The Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes were also closed at various parts for several hours, but were reopened later in the morning. Even with the aggressive action of road maintenance crews, four people were killed in several ice-related car accidents, and many more were taken to hospitals for car accident injuries. The worst multi-vehicle accident was reported in Pike County where a 50 car pile up happened as motorists lost control of their vehicles on an icy stretch of highway. Another 15 car pile up was reported in Delaware County that left two dead and five injured when a tractor-trailer lost control and triggered a chain reaction of cars crashing into each other.

Transportation authorities advise motorists to pay close attention to weather advisories and warnings, and when necessary, change travel plans to avoid dangerous driving situations. If you do find yourself driving in icy conditions, it’s wise to pull over to a safe area and wait until poor weather conditions improve. Drivers are strongly encouraged to remain in their cars to avoid being struck by a vehicles that may lose control.