I think the roads are slick...

[biglaz]

I-90 miles 149-153, 5 accidents (3 rollovers) within 20 minutes. Sounds like a mess out there.

 

[RevGary]

And you would think that drivers in this state would be accustomed to driving in this stuff...

Slow down, anticipate tripple stopping distances and don't use the cellphone until AFTER you have an accident. (sarcasm). Seriously, stay attentive and don't let distractions get your mind off of your primary responsibility - TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. Don't eat, call the office, put on makeup - or shave ( gender specific) or have the stereo so loud tthat you can't hear emergency vehicles. You not only have to drive your own vehicle, but you have to anticipate what other drivers may or may not do and take preventive action. If you drive a high profile SUV, you are statistically more likely to end up on your roof than in an average low profile sedan... SO DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID! Remember, SUV stands for Stupid Unstable Vehicle... and are many times more susceptible to rollovers as any other type of vehicle according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you purchase an SUV to 'feel safe', then you may wish to rethink your choice... and if you have a scanner in your SUV, the magnetic antenna will NOT act as a roll bar... LOL.

 

[OpSec]

Remember, SUV stands for Stupid Unstable Vehicle... and are many times more susceptible to rollovers as any other type of vehicle according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you purchase an SUV to 'feel safe', then you may wish to rethink your choice...

[rant]

Gary,

Pardon my rant, as this isn't anything personal towards you...but:

It really gets my goat when people bash SUV's and their handling. I've either owned or driven SUV's for 15+ years, long before all the negative spin was placed on them by the media. The average SUV is indeed more top heavy and has a higher center of gravity than the average sedan. That said, it is the STUPID DRIVER that causes the vast majority of problems with SUV's. They think that 3 tons of steel and 4WD will save them from all evils, and as such drive like the idiots that they are. I've had to take evasive acation many times in various SUV's and never lost control, rolled it or otherwise endangered myself/passengers.

Any vehicle is equally as dangerous when placed in the control of an aggressive or otherwise unprepared driver. Our agency handles many rollover crashes that have nothing to do with an SUV or truck. In a completely -unofficial- summary of crashes since 01 Jan, vehicle crashes far outnumber SUV crashes in the area that I work.

The current Ford SUV that we own is more stable and handles evasive actions MUCH BETTER than the sedan it replaced. It's not a sports car, and it's not driven as such. There are some of us that realize the limitations (dry or wet) and drive like responsible adults.

[/rant]

As for that section of I-90 mentioned above, that amount of crashes out there is insane. That whole piece of road from the IL state line to the 90/94/39 split is a crash report waiting to happen.

 

[RevGary]

[rant]

Gary,

Pardon my rant, as this isn't anything personal towards you...but:

It really gets my goat when people bash SUV's and their handling. I've either owned or driven SUV's for 15+ years, long before all the negative spin was placed on them by the media. The average SUV is indeed more top heavy and has a higher center of gravity than the average sedan. That said, it is the STUPID DRIVER that causes the vast majority of problems with SUV's. They think that 3 tons of steel and 4WD will save them from all evils, and as such drive like the idiots that they are. I've had to take evasive acation many times in various SUV's and never lost control, rolled it or otherwise endangered myself/passengers.

Any vehicle is equally as dangerous when placed in the control of an aggressive or otherwise unprepared driver. Our agency handles many rollover crashes that have nothing to do with an SUV or truck. In a completely -unofficial- summary of crashes since 01 Jan, vehicle crashes far outnumber SUV crashes in the area that I work.

The current Ford SUV that we own is more stable and handles evasive actions MUCH BETTER than the sedan it replaced. It's not a sports car, and it's not driven as such. There are some of us that realize the limitations (dry or wet) and drive like responsible adults.

[/rant]

As for that section of I-90 mentioned above, that amount of crashes out there is insane. That whole piece of road from the IL state line to the 90/94/39 split is a crash report waiting to happen.

I agree with your "stupd or unaware driver scenario." My observations from 21 years behind the wheel of a cruiser is what I based my statement on, not just the Fed's statistics. The point is, that unless an SUV driver is fully aware of the limitations of the vehicle, then they are put at risk moreso than other drivers. Over the years, I had to process accident scenes involving SUV's approximately 3 times more often than any other style of vehicle... due to their characteristic unpredictability in evasive maneuvers and the manner in which they constantly end up on their roof in various situations that would not place other types of vehicles in that postition. Since retiring in 1991 and now being a Pastor and Chaplain Responder, I STILL see the same types of vehicles upside down frequently and have given Last Rites to more victims than I would care to remember. If you have had good luck with SUV's, then that's great...you are probably a well rounded, capable and cautious driver.... unlike the one's who feel that a 6000 pound vehicle will be their fortress... and wind up in the morgue because of their complacency. Purchasing an SUV brings with it a responsibility to know and understand that it is NOT a race truck or an M-1 Abrams tank. It has a high center of gravity and will roll if given an opportunity.

 

[BMT]

Probably had cruise control on!!

BMT

 

[biglaz]

That whole piece of road from the IL state line to the 90/94/39 split is a crash report waiting to happen.

That's a very large "piece" of road. What do you suggest is wrong with it?

 

[RevGary]

Luke, I'll surely let StateBoy answer for himself, but from someone who only travels that section twice each year, I have seen too many accidents along that stretch on those occasions to be just coincidental. Our on-site observations are that a significant number of autos involved in those wrecks have Illinois tags. All you have to do is get on the tollway south of Gurnee and travel at the speed limit. You will be PASSED by everyone and those persons are traveling at 15 to 30 MPH over the limit. Once they get into Wisconsin, those habits are hard to break. Many of the crashes are "too fast for conditions" related and I have seen MANY cruisers from the State, Kenosha County, Racine County and Milwaukee County doing Radar and Laser speed checks along that section, and all traffic in the center and left lanes were STILL going 10 to 15 over the limit. That section of THREE LANE highway is a concern. Many persons who have never traveled on a three lane have side-to-side collisions with other vehicles when they don't look after making a pass. They are used to having a shoulder next to them on the right - not a traffic lane. I-94 does not have a good reputation from the Illinois iine to the split in Milwaukee County....Just keep your scanner on 154.665 and hold on!!!

 

[OpSec]

That's a very large "piece" of road. What do you suggest is wrong with it?

To clarify, the stretch I'm talking about is I-39/90 from the IL state line, up thru Dane county where I-94 meets up, and finally north to where I-39 splits off near the Petro truck stop in Portage.

In my personal opinion, this stretch of road is a death trap. For most of it, the NB and SB lanes are seperated by a grass median only. No walls or barriers, just grass. As soon as a car crossed the median, it's in oncoming traffic and most of the time there is a helluva crash.

For the last few years, We've been able to listen in on DeForest radio traffic via dedicated VHF link, and we listen to these crashes day in and day out. In bad weather, it quadruples and turns into a major headache. We've got our hands full with the Chicago-Milwaukee cooridor on I-94, but the Rockford-Portage cooridor is much worse.