Disaster in Denver

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Joselyn Carrillo, Staff Writer

Colorado has been known for its bipolar weather and harsh winters. Many people from Colorado have been used to driving in these conditions, but on November 4, 2022, that changed in the Denver area. On an early Friday morning, a massive car crash involving 100 cars blocked the closed eastbound and westbound. West 6th Avenue at North Kalamath Street to North Federal Boulevard had an unforgettable traumatizing experience for many people. 

“I hope everyone is ok. I hope the people that got injured are ok, especially this upcoming winter when the roads are gonna be icier. I hope nothing happens like this again.” State Cameran Martinez, a former student at Frederick high school.

This major pileup affected many of the victim’s lives. On news channel Denver 7, it was reposted that there was about 83 people were medically evaluated at the scene. Out of those eighty-three victims about thirteen were taken to the hospital, and out of those thirteen people, one person had serious injuries. 

“This is very scary and I think people should take precautions and check the weather before leaving their houses. This will not be the first time or last time the roads get very icy” States Mariah Dominguez.

Black ice was the reason why many of these vehicles had lost control of the road. This unviable slick ice starts to form around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Snowing, light mist or even light rain can cause this type of ice, people should take precautions about the temperature outside before even thinking of starting up their vehicles.

There are many precautions can you can use or do to avoid anything like this to happen again according to Drive Safe Driving Schools. Some precaution when driving in this type of weather is to take a snow plan ahead of time. This will help one’s safety in an accident or loss of control of the vehicle. Have good snow tires or tires in good condition on your vehicle, this will help our vehicle get a better grip on this icy weather. Making sure your windshield wipers work properly as this is illegal if they don’t work. Keeping headlights, and taillights, and making sure your tailpipe is clean can help you and others be safer. Having an emergency care package at all times in your vehicle can be very important just in case of any type of accident. Having a snow scraper, snow shovel, a spare tire, window washer fluid, water, jumper cables, and a flashlight should be something mandatory to have in your car as this can help you if you ever get stranded or any other type of emergency. Staying updated on road closing can help you prevent being involved in an accident. Avoiding all driving distractions could one day help you avoid accidents. Another thing that one can avoid during these critical weather conditions could be using cruise control on your vehicle.

As many Colorado residents have at least once in their life encountered a traumatic experience in this weather there are many tips and tricks to avoid anything like this from ever happen again.