After the snow fell during the early morning hours on Thursday, Washington State Patrol (WSP) said there were nearly 70 collisions in the Tri-Cities region alone. In the Grandview area, officials registered 22 crashes during the same period.
Both regions saw an increase in the number of traffic accidents due to speed, officials said on social media.
Deadly Accidents On The Rise
These accidents follow reports of deadly crashes skyrocketing in certain areas in Washington, with law enforcement stating that reckless driving, speed, and distraction are to blame.
While the Thursday accidents followed a change in weather conditions, officials said that speed continues to be a problem. In order to help prevent similar accidents, law enforcement agents are engaging with Washingtonians via social media.
WSP: Follow These Safety Tips To Avoid Crashes
On social media, troopers discussing the high number of accidents following the snowfall urged drivers to be cautious.
To avoid collisions, Trooper C. Thorson tweeted, drivers must make sure their windows are cleared before they hit the road in order to increase visibility, reduce their speed, allow a greater following distance, have all lights on, and drive in the right lane if moving slowly.
This isn’t the first time Trooper Thorson urges drivers to be mindful of these safety tips when driving in the snow.
As Seattle personal injury attorneys we appreciate the hard work officials put into helping drivers to prevent accidents. If you must drive in the snow, make sure to follow the safety tips above, but we also encourage those who can postpone a trip to avoid having to navigate icy and slippery roads to do so.
As law enforcement stated, drivers continue to go too fast for the road conditions, putting lives in danger.
For more information on these accidents, follow this link.