INDIANAPOLIS — Six Indiana State Police trooper vehicles in the Indianapolis district have been hit in just the last five days, all while responding to other crashes on icy roads.
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The incidents come as troopers have investigated more than 600 crashes in the last five days in the Indianapolis district, according to ISP Sergeant John Perrine.
The ISP vehicles were hit while the troopers were on the side of the interstate responding to another crash.
"It's heartbreaking. It's selfish drivers. People that drive with themselves in mind, not anyone else. They make poor decisions. They get in a hurry," Perrine said. "Well, we're very thankful and fortunate that none of them have suffered any serious injuries."
The dangerous conditions persist as INDOT crews face challenges with traditional winter weather response methods. On Thursday, plow truck drivers are emptying salt from their trucks at their Indianapolis substation because the extreme cold temperatures make salt ineffective.
"We're still seeing really cold temperatures, subzero overnight almost every night, so we can't use salt when that happens. Anytime it's under 15 degrees, our salt really isn't effective. We're dropping it, but it's not activating," said Jordan Yaney, public relations director for INDOT's East Central District.
High-speed crashes on icy roads have been on the rise in recent days.
"People are getting hurt, and that's really a scary time for us," Perrine said.
The North Split area has been particularly problematic, with drivers getting stuck in snow buildup when trying to navigate between lanes or exit ramps.
"What we were seeing is a lot of people sliding off and getting stuck because if you miss that exit by just a second, or you're in the left lane and need to exit all the way over onto the right and you get caught in that buildup of snow, it's really hard to get out of it—especially if you're in a smaller car like a sedan," Yaney said.
INDOT crews plan to address the snow accumulation by pushing it over walls where they can safely do so as part of their cleanup response. However, there aren't many places to put snow in the area, as crews typically push snow off mainline roads to shoulders, gores, and merge points during winter events.
As temperatures remain below freezing, Perrine warns drivers to be prepared for re-freezing and to slow down. He says the extended winter weather has been particularly challenging.
"It's probably the longest snow event that I can remember in my 23-year career," Perrine said. "We're just really tired of responding to the crashes of careless drivers."
INDOT crews continue working long 12 and even 16-hour shifts to clear every lane from white line to white line, but with bitter cold holding on, slick spots will remain.
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