State transportation and emergency management officials on Monday warned Pennsylvanians to take extra precautions while driving in the holiday and winter travel seasons, particularly keeping an eye out for snow squalls and other weather systems that can make highways and local roads more dangerous.That warning came more than a year after a deadly pileup on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County involving dozens of vehicles that killed six people. The incident was blamed on a snow squall that dumped blizzard-like conditions into the area in a very short period of time.Below: Harrowing video captures I-81 crash as it happened”They pose a major threat to loss of life and property,” said Ashley Evans, the meteorologist in charge with the National Weather Service in State College.Evans said drivers should check forecasts for areas they plan to drive through. NWS also pushes out alerts about potential snow squalls through television, radio, and on smartphones. Alerts also appear on highway message boards.Snow squalls can be particularly dangerous because they can quickly create snowy and icy conditions that make it difficult to drive safely, particularly with tractor-trailers and other large vehicles on major highways or roads.”Our advice is that if you’re not on the roadway yet, don’t get on. If you’re already on the road and can get off, then get off,” Evans said.If you are driving and encounter a snow squall, Evans said you should slow down, increase the following distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you, and avoid slamming on your brakes.Officials with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency also said drivers should ensure they have supplies or equipment on hand to make sure they can safely wait for rescue if needed.Below: Drone flies over still-smoking scene of 2022 crash on I-81Below: Aerial video from the day after the crash
State transportation and emergency management officials on Monday warned Pennsylvanians to take extra precautions while driving in the holiday and winter travel seasons, particularly keeping an eye out for snow squalls and other weather systems that can make highways and local roads more dangerous.
That warning came more than a year after a deadly pileup on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County involving dozens of vehicles that killed six people. The incident was blamed on a snow squall that dumped blizzard-like conditions into the area in a very short period of time.
Below: Harrowing video captures I-81 crash as it happened
“They pose a major threat to loss of life and property,” said Ashley Evans, the meteorologist in charge with the National Weather Service in State College.
Evans said drivers should check forecasts for areas they plan to drive through. NWS also pushes out alerts about potential snow squalls through television, radio, and on smartphones. Alerts also appear on highway message boards.
Snow squalls can be particularly dangerous because they can quickly create snowy and icy conditions that make it difficult to drive safely, particularly with tractor-trailers and other large vehicles on major highways or roads.
“Our advice is that if you’re not on the roadway yet, don’t get on. If you’re already on the road and can get off, then get off,” Evans said.
If you are driving and encounter a snow squall, Evans said you should slow down, increase the following distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you, and avoid slamming on your brakes.
Officials with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency also said drivers should ensure they have supplies or equipment on hand to make sure they can safely wait for rescue if needed.
Below: Drone flies over still-smoking scene of 2022 crash on I-81
Below: Aerial video from the day after the crash
