Seven people are in hospitals in the Chicago area after a huge, 35-car pileup. The accident happened on the Kennedy Expressway on Monday, March 13.
Police are saying that the wreck, which happened just after 10 at night, was in part due to icy road conditions. That made the chain reaction difficult for drivers to avoid as cars kept sliding into the back of the crash.
A lot of people turned down medical assistance — at least 23, according to police — but six suffered “minor” injuries that still landed them in the hospital. One man, who is 39 years old, was seriously hurt and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
There were so many cars involved that the police had to close the lanes down for about three hours, only getting them open again after one in the morning. Some of the vehicles were taxis, some were minivans, a few were Uber drivers and one was even a police cruiser from the Illinois State Police.
One driver gave his story, saying he felt like everyone — himself included — just drove too fast for conditions. He said he tried to stop with about 100 yards to go, but his car slid the entire distance and slammed into the pileup.
It is worth noting that the National Weather Service saw it coming and put out a Lake Effect Snow Warning starting about three hours before the crash. In addition to icy roads, they said that drivers could deal with low visibility, potentially reducing reaction times.
When other drivers go too fast for conditions and cause a chain reaction crash, those who are injured may be able to recover financial compensation. Accidents like this can leave many people seeking medical care and facing high, unexpected costs.
Source: NBC, “7 Hospitalized in 35-Car Pileup on Kennedy Expressway,” Lauren Petty, March 14, 2017