TERRE HAUTE —
A major holiday weekend is approaching. The weather has been consistently inviting for travel and outdoor activity. Gas prices are even inching downward.
The ingredients are in place for a busy period on Indiana’s highways and byways this week and during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. If you’re tempted to set out on a travel itinerary that includes Interstate 70 between Terre Haute and Indianapolis, consider this a cautionary tale.
I-70 is being prepared for a major resurfacing of the entire western Indiana span of four-lane highway in coming months. That means there are multiple construction zones already in place, in both lanes, between the Illinois border and Plainfield. With traffic expected to be even heavier than usual this week, well … it’s best to heed the warning of potential hazards ahead.
West-central Indiana got a hint of the kind of mayhem that can occur on I-70 last week with major accidents on successive days. On Wednesday, a motorist attempting to make a U-turn on an access road in Clay County between the east- and west-bound lanes triggered collisions that resulted in serious injuries to the driver. It was much worse the next day, when a semi driver struck the rear of another truck while entering a construction zone just east of the Indiana 46 interchange on Terre Haute’s east side. Two people died in that fiery crash and traffic was stalled for hours.
Those who travel I-70 — and that includes most of us — are well aware of the dangers that exist on such a major thoroughfare. The slightest distraction or inattention by a driver can have immediate and disastrous consequences. Traffic is just too heavy and moves too fast to offer much mercy to travelers who sometimes find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Construction zones do nothing but complicate the traffic flow and make conditions worse.
If you plan to travel by vehicle this week and during the coming road construction season, you do have options. The best is to avoid I-70. If that’s not possible, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings when you’re on the interstate. Observe all zone instructions and speed limits. Be courteous with those in vehicles around you. Report impaired drivers to police. Be cautious at all times. When in doubt, slow down.
We hope the destructive incidents that occurred in our area last week do not repeat themselves this summer. But we fear the worst. The dangers and risks are high.
Don’t be part of the problem. Be careful out there.
Buckle up … for safety
While we’re on the subject of highway safety, it’s worth noting that police in Indiana have stepped up efforts to enforce wearing seat belts heading into the Memorial Day weekend.
The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute says more than 250 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are conducting special patrols to identify and ticket unrestrained motorists.
Why bother with such matters? The answer is in the statistics. Institute Traffic Safety Director Ryan Klitzsch says last year more than 1,000 people were ejected from their vehicles in accidents in Indiana.
In 2010, 52 percent of all occupants killed in crashes in Indiana were not wearing seat belts.
The campaign began on Friday and runs through June 3.
Do your part. Wear your seat belts.
Opinion
EDITORIAL: Hazards of the spring abundant now on I-70
Deadly week on freeway alerts travelers to dangers
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READERS' FORUM: May 19, 2013
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READERS' FORUM: May 17, 2013
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Readers' Forum: May 16, 2013
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Readers' Forum: May 15, 2013
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RONN MOTT: Media merry-go-round
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READERS' FORUM: May 12, 2013
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FLASHPOINT: Again in 2013 General Assembly, middle class generally ignored
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Readers’ Forum: May 11, 2013
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Readers' Forum: May 10, 2013
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RONN MOTT: ‘Heritage gone’
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FLASHPOINT: Indiana lawmakers reinforced school safety mechanisms
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