11 Vehicles Smashed on Black Ice on Oregon Highway 34

Drivers are reminded to slow down and use extreme caution in the coming weeks and months as cold weather and ice make roadways hazardous.

Photos of crash by Dennis Weis/Tangent Fire Full size photos at the bottom of the story

(TANGENT, Ore.) - Firefighters and rescue crews in Oregon have been busy throughout the night dealing with crashes from icy road conditions. Linn County and the area around the interstate freeway saw a number of fender benders and more serious crashes.

Dennis Weis with the Tangent Fire Department says his agency which is located in Linn County, responded to five crashes on Highway 34 in a two hour window that were related to the current winter conditions.

This series of collisions that did not result in any injuries should serve as a reminder of the imminent danger black ice can cause drivers.

One incident Weis responded to this evening was a motor vehicle accident on Highway 34 east of Interstate-5. A pickup and utility trailer with a small tractor hit a power pole, shearing the pole and leaving the trailer on it's side due to black ice, he said.

He says that was one of several that kept crews moving fast throughout the night. They say when it rains it pours, and that certainly was the case on one Oregon Highway that is already notorious for deadly accidents.

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"Within a 2 hour window we had 5 different motor vehicle accidents which had a total of 11 vehicles all on Highway 34 between Oakville Road and 2 miles east of I-5," Weis said.

Drivers are reminded to slow down and use extreme caution in the coming weeks and months as cold weather and ice make roadways hazardous. Check our Winter Road Conditions report at: salem-news.com/roadconditions and be sure to stay dialed into the latest weather reports.

Photos of crash from Dennis Weis

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In addition please go to the www.latimes.com and type in melancon in the search button. You will see a major report about these UNSAFE utilty trailers.

Look at the condition of the Trailer. Do you really think the trailer is roadworthy? From the story I understand it was weather conditions, but maybe the condition of the trailer played a role in the accident.

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