MARSHALL TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - Slick conditions in Central West Michigan caused a major mess Wednesday morning as dozens of vehicles crashed on an I-94 overpass.
Michigan State Police said they responded to reports of a multi-vehicle pileup around 6:30 a.m. on the Verona Road overpass in Marshall Township, a metropolitan area of Battle Creek.
According to troopers, there were no serious injuries reported, but at least 17 vehicles were damaged in the crash.
Police did not release what led to the major pileup or how extensive the damage was to the vehicles involved.
Officials say icy conditions on the road are believed to be a factor in the crash.
Meteorologist Heather Tesch from the Weather Channel said bridges tend to ice over way faster than surface roads making driving conditions very dangerous for unprepared drivers. Tesch explained this phenomena happens when the outside temperature drops, surrounding overpasses with freezing air.
"It loses heat faster," she said of the overpass. "Because of that, a wet bridge will turn icy much faster than a wet road insulated by warmer ground,"
She warned driving conditions can turn more dangerous if the bridge is covered in black ice.
"You won't be able to see it," Tesch warned.
MSP attributed most winter driving crashes to drivers going too fast for the roadway conditions. Troopers have put out the following tips to help drivers stay safe on winter roads:
• It can take up to ten times longer to stop your vehicle on snowy and/or icy roads. Slow down and allow more room between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. This gives you more time to react and brake, reducing your crash risk.
• Put your turn signal on sooner than you would in warm weather months. Remember, it takes longer for the cars behind you to react and stop, too.
• Avoid distractions now more than ever. Taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds robs you of precious reaction time. Put your phone away and don’t try to multitask (eating, putting on makeup, etc.).
• Watch for black ice. Black ice, a very thin and nearly invisible layer of ice that makes the road look wet, is another reason to slow down this winter. Stay alert for black ice on bridges, ramps and overpasses, after sudden drops in temperature, and in shaded areas.
• Avoid a ticket. Michigan laws require drivers to move at a speed that is “reasonable and proper” for the road conditions. Even if you are driving at or below the speed limit, you could get a speeding ticket if the road conditions make that speed unreasonable for safe driving.