Traffic incidents grow with snow, ISP gives safe driving tips

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- Many areas in Michiana were under travel advisories Saturday night due to the inclement weather.

LaPorte, St. Joseph, and Marshall counties are under a travel advisory, while, Starke County is under a travel watch.

Sergeant Ted Bohner with the Indiana State Police said there’ve been accidents. He said, early in the afternoon, there were 23 property damage crashes, 6 injury crashes, and 25 slide-offs, in his Bremen district.

One of those slide-off accidents is pictured below. Sgt. Bohner said it was a single vehicle rollover on the toll road near the Notre Dame exit.

“Once they start to slide, it’s hard for them to recover,” said Sgt. Bohner.

He gave the following tips to drivers traveling in this wintery weather:

1.      Slow down. Sgt. Bohner said when the conditions are bad you can’t speed.

2.      Drive with the headlights on. Heavy snow can affect visibility, he said you can go from an area that’s clear to drive in and then be in white conditions where you can’t see anything.

3.      Don’t drive in packs. Traffic volume can determine your chances of being in an accident.

4.      Don’t drive with your cruise control on.

5.      Give yourself enough follow room.

6.      Stay focused on the road; don’t be distracted by the snow.

He also encourages drivers to keep an emergency kit in their cars. Sgt. Bohner said people should put necessities in it, like flashlights, batteries, water, snacks, extra warm clothes, cell phone chargers, emergency flares, and reflectors.

“It’s early in the snow season, so just drive safe and drive smart,” he said.