Piles of Snow and Heat = Slippery Conditions

We have been driving between icebergs here in Minnesota for the last couple of months. Tight roads and obstructed views at each corner. Finally, we are seeing some sun and warmer temperatures. The problem is that with the melting comes fog and morning ice all over the place.

So please SLOW DOWN.

Some tragic examples from this week include:

– Friday night, a 18-year-old woman was killed in a three-vehicle crash two miles south of Spring Valley. The vehicle she was riding in went out of control on icy pavement along U.S. 63 after it clipped another car. The car then crossed over the center line and crashed into a Minnesota Department of Transportation snowplow, then went into a ditch and rolled.

– Friday night, a Upsala woman was injured while traveling north on Stearns County Road 1 in Brockway Township when she hit an icy patch of road and lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle rolled over and came to rest on its roof.

– Late Friday night, Four people were injured, one critically, in a two-vehicle accident on U.S. 61 near Weaver. A eastbound vehicle on Minnesota Highway 74 collided with a minivan that was southbound on U.S. 61, according to a Minnesota State Patrol report.

– Friday afternoon, a pickup truck was heading east on Hwy. 135 west of Biwabik when it drifted into a ditch and rolled over. The driver was killed.

– Saturday morning, the Minnesota State Patrol responded to 44 collisions. "It did get a little icy as the sun came up, so we were pretty busy around then," Lt. Eric Roeske of the Minnesota State Patrol said.

– Saturday afternoon, A St. Cloud man and woman were taken to St. Cloud Hospital after their west bound vehicle on Minnesota Highway 23 was stuck by a vehicle attempting to turn north on Benton County Road 67.

Hopefully, increased police presence and discussion about this incidents will save some lives over the next couple of days.

Our sympathies go out to all of those involve who were injured or lost. As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are a number of issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed on the same topic.