Drivers going 60mph on ice “is not OK,” officials lament after triple rig jackknife

The Washington State Department of Transportation is exasperated after three semi trucks jackknifed back to back on an icy highway on Wednesday morning. 

The accidents happened just before 4 a.m. on January 12th on eastbound Interstate 90 west of Ellensburg, Washington. The accidents happened within minutes and one mile of each other.

According to iFiberOne News, the two jackknifed semi trucks and one box truck blocked all eastbound lanes, forcing the closure of the roadway until about 9 a.m. No injuries were reported. 

“The troopers that first got on the scene kind of saw each of the semis doing that,” said Trooper John Bryant to KPQ News. “It’s happened before, and it happens sometimes a lot in that area of Elk Heights, because you climb up, and then it goes down a little bit, so it does get that icy problem.”

Now, WSDOT is urging drivers to use more caution, particularly when it comes to icy roads and speed. 

“We are putting down deicer, but it’s not going to help if drivers keep thinking they can go 60 or 70 (mph). It’s not OK,” WSDOT tweeted.