Conditions cause multiple accidents in one day

PLAINS – As the weather turned cold and the roads got slick, conditions turned risky for many people commuting throughout Sanders County.

The conditions made for a busy day for responders with four accidents reported on Monday alone. Plains-Paradise Rural Fire responded to three of them.

The first occurred approximately around 1 p.m. on Highway 135 at approximately mile marker 14.

According to Rural Fire Captain Pat Irving, speed may have been a factor in the wreck. The driver of the truck went off the road and into a group of trees. Uninjured, the man was not transported to the hospital.

Another accident occurred shortly after at the Plains Cemetery. Rural Fire did not respond to the accident and Montana Highway Patrol was on scene.

With two accidents down and two more to go, another call came over the scanner and involved a vehicle that slid off of Highway 28. According to Irving, the road proved icy and responders also had a hard time stopping at the scene. The driver was uninjured.

The last accident of the day occurred later in the evening and was the most serious. According to reports that came over the scanner, two juveniles and one male were injured in the accident. Irving said the three were transported to CFVH and were being treated.

One of the young children possibly suffered a broken arm in the accident and reports over the scanner said one child was bleeding from their nose.

Irving said the accident occurred because of the weather conditions, with both snow and ice present.

“We found the truck down the embankment,” said Irving.

Reports over the scanner indicated the vehicle rolled 75 feet down the embankment and heavy damage was sustained to the F150. Valley Towing will be on scene in the morning to remove the vehicle and a Montana Highway Patrol officer advised them that two wreckers may be needed.

Irving said people need to slow down and pat attention to the road conditions.

“If the speed limit says 60, don’t do it. Drive to the adverse weather conditions and slow down,” said Irving. “If the roads look wet, it could be black ice.”

With colder weather in the forecast for the week, it is important that people remain cautious of conditions.

The Montana Department of Transportation advises travelers to plan ahead and proceed in slow motion when winter weather conditions are present.

They recommend drivers maintain a reasonable speed that matches visibility, traffic, road conditions and driving ability.

“At 40 miles per hour, a car that takes 110 feet to stop on dry pavement will take 200 feet to stop in the rain, 350 feet in gravel and 770 feet on ice. Driving is a different game when road conditions change,” states MDOT’s website.

MDOT also suggests drivers to keep a safe distance behind other vehicles and make sure to have all tires in good condition to avoid any problems.