Indiana State Police are calling on drivers to ease off the gas after two troopers were struck in separate crashes less than an hour apart on Saturday, Sgt. Glen Fifield said on social media. At least one of the collisions happened on I-94 near Riley Street, and investigators say the wrecks did not have to happen. The warning comes as lake-effect snow and sub-zero temperatures turned stretches of northern Indiana into slick, unforgiving pavement and cut the punch of road salt.
Snow And Brutal Cold Made Highways Treacherous
Lake-effect snow bands and bitter cold combined to leave visibility lousy and even treated roads slick across northern Indiana, authorities said. The National Weather Service and state crews cautioned that road salt loses much of its effectiveness once temperatures drop below zero, and Indiana State Police pushed out multiple crash photos and traffic alerts as the system rolled through the region, according to NBC Chicago.
Troopers Hit, Frustration Rising As Tickets Climb
Fifield said in a post that officers were “literally speechless and very frustrated” after two troopers were hit within about an hour, noting that at least one crash happened on I-94 near Riley Street. He added that troopers are now handing out more speeding tickets as drivers push through the hazardous conditions, according to CBS Chicago.
How Not To Become The Next Crash Report
Indiana’s Move Over or Slow Down law tells drivers they must shift a lane away from stopped emergency or disabled vehicles when it is safe to do so, or slow down to 10 miles per hour below the posted limit if they cannot move over, the Indiana Department of Transportation notes. Officials say motorists should leave extra following distance, slow for low visibility, and skip unnecessary trips during intense lake-effect snowbands so troopers and plow crews have space to work, per INDOT.
State police say they plan to keep enforcement levels high as the rough weather hangs on, and are asking anyone who sees dangerous driving to report it to local authorities. Their message is not subtle: slow down, move over, and budget more time on the roads until the ice and snow back off.
