INDIANAPOLIS — It seems like everywhere you turn, there are more orange construction barrels and closures. Some of the biggest are shutting down parts of the interstate for days at a time, but now police are seeing more crashes.
The area of 1-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis has seen several crashes recently, that state police say, overall, the numbers are up.
Between construction barrels and full interstate closures, getting around central Indiana can be challenging at times.
"We're used to the construction, and wrecks every once in a while, but it's been intense lately," Catherine Anderson, who has noticed the increase in traffic and crashes, said.
Last year, between May 1 and May 21, the interstates in Indianapolis saw 405 accidents. During the same time this year, there were 528 accidents.
Some of the crashes have been serious, like this one on May 14 at I-465 and Harding Street, after an SUV rear-ended a semi. The crash shut down both sides of the I-465, as crews rushed to rescue the driver in the SUV.
"It's been really odd; I'm not sure why there's been such an increase in crashes," Anderson said. 'But it's been a lot more than normal, where it seems like every time I'm going home, it seems like we have a crash."
State police say there are many factors when it comes to why crashes happen. They say construction does play a role in accidents, but so do the situations in which drivers are taken off their usual routes, the ways they are familiar with, then the potential for more driver errors rises.
If you add that to increased traffic, due to road closures, police say that can lead to more opportunities for crashes, as well. Which, in the end, that adds to the distractions that are already out there, as well.
Police say it also comes down to people not being aware of potential closures and issues along their route. They say they often find that people involved in crashes are not prepared drivers.
"People are texting and not paying attention, and it's absolutely necessary to be more careful and watch what is going on," Anderson said.
Police have advised that drivers plan their trip out before leaving, every day. This creates awareness in potential closures or detours before even getting behind the wheel.
State police say when they do have those constructions closures they do have more troopers out on the roadways, they say it is still up to drivers though to make sure everyone is staying safe.
