4 Of The Most Massive Pile-Ups In Recent History
We are all subject to the elements–no matter how much preparedness, gear, and equipment we arm ourselves with, Mother Nature’s randomness trumps all.
When it comes to driving, the conditions presented by extreme weather or temps dictate how we’ll fare–and sometimes things get ugly.
With that said, here are 4 of the worst pile-ups caused by the elements in recent American history:
A snow and ice storm hit Washington County, Maryland so hard that it caused 20 car accidents in a single night, including 7 tractor-trailers and 35 automobiles, leaving 12 injured and 2 dead.
When drought conditions combined with violent gusts outside of Coalinga after Thanksgiving weekend in 1991, it made for a sand storm so bad that the lack of visibility was crippling. A total of 164 vehicles crashed, with 150 injuries and 17 deaths.
Fresno, California’s infamous tule fog is known for decimating visibility, and its effects were especially felt on that fateful day on Highway 99 in 2007, where almost 100 cars were involved in a massive pileup, injuring dozens and killing two. It’s said that visibility was down to around 2 feet!
Icy roads are perennial problems for drivers in cold states, since they’re so hard to spot and can occur on a nice sunny (and freezing) day. This was the case in Bensalem, PA in 2014, when sun glare and black ice caused 100 cars and dozens of tractor trailers to crash, shutting down the Pennsylvania Turnpike for 5 miles and most of the day.
Battling against nature may seem futile, but the least we can do is protect ourselves against the elements, whether it be with snow tires, weatherproof equipment, or just planning ahead.
