Every day, tens of thousands of trucks and cars travel on I-90 and I-86 in Western New York. For the most part, the worst thing people need to deal with is congestion or the occasional road construction project.
However, too often, people driving on our interstates wind up injured or worse after a catastrophic crash.
Common types of crashes
Chain-reaction crashes happen when a primary collision triggers others. This might involve a driver swerving out of their lane, overcorrecting and crashing into another vehicle. The drivers behind them and in the opposite lanes may not have time to avoid the two disabled vehicles and can crash into other cars or trucks.
Trucking crashes are also not unusual on roads like the New York State Thruway and Southern Tier Expressway. These are crucial routes for interstate and intrastate transportation, meaning there can be many commercial vehicles on these roads at any time.
Truck rollovers and jackknifed trucks can happen, and they pose a serious threat to motorists. Rollovers occur when a trucker changes direction too quickly; jackknifes can occur when a trucker brakes too quickly.
On other local highways, like Routes 5, 60, 62 and 75, collisions often involve:
- Speeding
- Confusion
- Failure to stop at an intersection
- Distraction
These factors are certainly not exclusive to highways and interstates. Still, they can have an especially devastating impact on victims because of how fast people may be driving and how many people can be involved.
Protecting yourself on these roadways
When you are driving on I-90 and I-86, it is crucial to take precautions to avoid a crash and protect yourself. This includes:
- Wearing your seat belt
- Focusing on the road around you
- Pulling over if you feel tired
- Giving other vehicles plenty of space
- Staying out of a truck’s blind spots
- Obeying speed limits and other traffic laws
These measures can help you reach your destination safely and increase the likelihood that other motorists will, too.
