Posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015 at 9:14 pm
Multiple vehicles were involved in a series of car accidents in southwest Arkansas along Interstate 49 on Dec. 21. Arkansas State Police reported that there were 3 fatalities in multiple chain-reaction crashes starting at around 11:45 p.m. that shut down Interstate 49 until the next afternoon. Seven other injuries were reported from these accidents.
The initial crash occurred when a tractor-trailer slowed and was rear-ended by another vehicle, beginning a chain-reaction of wrecks that involved 10 vehicles in total. Onlookers in the northbound lane allegedly were distracted by the first crash and caused a second crash on the opposite side of the median. The second accident involved three tractor-trailers, one of which was carrying glue that spilled into the road.
While the National Weather Service stated that conditions were clear at the time of the accident, a dense fog that now covers the area may have contributed to the wrecks. State troopers are investigating whether or not this was the case.
Driving in the fog can be exceedingly dangerous, as it limits the visibility of all drivers on the road. If you have to drive in foggy conditions, be sure to make use of fog lights, driving lights, or other low light beams and leave plenty of distance between you and other vehicles on the road. If you do not feel safe operating a vehicle in inclement weather, consider waiting until conditions improve before getting behind the wheel.
