One person was killed and eight others were injured yesterday on Interstate 70 near Warrenton, Missouri, when several cars and semi-trucks were involved in a chain reaction crash that close the road for 13 hours.
The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon and is believed to have been influenced by the stormy weather conditions.
According to reports, the driver of an SUV slowed down because of the road conditions before losing control of the vehicle and striking the side of a car. The SUV reportedly then careened into a brick wall and the car it hit struck a nearby tractor trailer. The tractor trailer then crossed over the median, breaking through cable barriers, and hit another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction before overturning.
It appears that three other semi trucks and six additional cars were also involved in the accident. A 63-year-old was killed and several others sustained injuries. The scene resulting from the accident was quite gruesome and caused a section of the interstate to be closed until this morning.
Unfortunately, one wrong move on a busy highway can result in a massive change reaction crash, as this situation demonstrates. It will likely take a lengthy investigation to determine what went wrong and identify all of the factors that contributed so that those involved can be fairly compensated through insurance or personal injury claims.
With a change in seasons upon us, it’s important to exercise a heightened level of caution when driving in poor weather conditions. It’s easy to forget the standard of care that is necessary to operate a vehicle safely in rain, fog, snow and ice.
Source: KMOV.com, “Victim of fatal I-70 accident identified; interstate closed for 13 hours,” Sept. 10, 2014