BOZEMAN – On Christmas Eve night, two people died in a car crash near Manhattan because they were traveling too fast on slick roads, according to police. With more snow falling down, the Montana Highway Patrol said there have been more car accidents.
“The warmth of the road melted the road off but now it is cold enough that it is setting up into some ice and people are driving a little too fast and losing control and crashing,” said MHP Sgt. Patrick McCarthy.
Bridges, corners and busy stretches of highway usually have the highest percentage of crashes during the winter, according to McCarthy. MHP said drivers need to adjust their speed to road conditions.
“Dropping your speed by 5 or 10 miles per hour might cost you another five minutes,” said McCarthy. “But even if you just slide off the road it is probably 45 minutes to an hour for a wrecker. And then if you are going so fast you get hurt, it is a trip to the hospital. Maybe you need to go get a rental car, that is an extra five or ten minutes by slowing down. What you are weighing that against? Hours and hours or a trip to the hospital or injuries. It just isn’t worth it.”
Story by Mederios Babb, MTN News
