Weather brings traffic troubles

In Indiana, it’s nothing for the temperature to be in the 50s one day and drop down into the 20s the next. Often along with the roller coaster of temperature changes comes unpredictable precipitation.

Chris Daniels, a forecaster for Indiana’s NewsCenter in Fort Wayne, said the recent Indiana conditions have been relatively normal.

“The dramatic swings in temperature around Indiana are what we usually see, especially this time of year,” Daniels said. “It’s the winter jet streams coming from Canada causing the crazy ups and downs in weather. The big changes in temperature are not unusual.”

While dramatic temperature swings might be the norm for Indiana, it is likely that temperatures will continue to be slightly lower than normal, adding to the risk of hazardous conditions.

Fort Wayne was hit by an ice storm at the end of December. Many were without power for days, and some, even weeks. Residents vacated their homes to stay with relatives, while some were forced to seek shelter at Memorial Coliseum. Fort Wayne resident A.J. Cubia, who lost power for a day and a half, was one of those affected by the storm.

“I can remember being in the house freezing,” Cubia said. “Then, after about five hours, luckily, we ended up going to a family member’s house to stay with them for the night.”

Areas all over the state were hit by sleet, hail and rain over the past month. Icy roads have made daily commutes difficult, especially in the morning.

Just before Christmas, Pendleton police reported that they responded to 38 crashes and 76 slide-offs in one afternoon.

Police have warned residents to take extra precaution while driving through weather like this.

“Drivers should slow down under these icy conditions,” Indiana State Police Sgt. Michael Burns of Pendleton said. “Many have been going too fast for the conditions, causing them to slide off the road. It’s also important to keep plenty of distance between the cars in front of you.”

Police say another big cause of accidents on the roads has been the use of cell phones while driving. While many people take phone calls without thinking, it only takes one second to lose control of a vehicle.

“After reviewing some fatal accidents, we’ve found that some of the drivers had been texting during the time of the accident,” Burns said. “It’s very important to put away your cell phone while driving anytime, especially in bad weather.”

Police are urging drivers not to use cruise control in bad weather because it gives the vehicle less traction. Also, drivers should make sure windows and headlights are fully brushed off and remember to buckle up.