A catastrophic multi-vehicle pileup on Interstate 70 in western Kansas has claimed eight lives after high winds generated a dust storm that reduced visibility to near zero in a matter of seconds, creating conditions where drivers had no ability to see the vehicles stopped ahead of them until it was too late to avoid collision. The resulting chain of crashes involved dozens of vehicles including commercial trucks and involved impacts at highway speed that left multiple vehicles destroyed beyond recognition. Emergency responders described the scene as one of the most difficult multi-casualty traffic incidents in the region’s history.
Dust storm pileups on the plains states’ interstate highways are a recurring and deadly phenomenon that occurs several times per decade in severe cases, yet driver behavior in conditions of rapidly deteriorating visibility continues to be identified as the primary contributing factor in these tragedies. Safety experts consistently advise drivers who encounter sudden severe visibility reduction to pull as far off the roadway as possible, turn off all lights to avoid attracting other drivers toward them, and remain in the vehicle with seatbelts fastened rather than attempting to exit onto the roadway. The Kansas incident will likely prompt renewed public information campaigns about driving in dust storm conditions.
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