By any standard, this has been a terrible spring and summer for traffic crashes on Interstate 70 in west-central Indiana.
Four people died in a crash in May in western Vigo County. Two died near Clay-Vigo line early last week. Yet another was killed late last week near the Indiana 59 exit in Clay County. Each incident resulted from stopped or slowed traffic either approaching a work zone or another crash site.
This tragic season so far has raised tension along the freeway, and with more than two months remaining before fall arrives, there are ample reasons to be concerned about what the future holds.
It is evident the carnage has captured the attention of police officials. The Indiana State Police, as reported by our Dave Taylor in Tuesday's Tribune-Star, has stepped up patrols and enforcement measures on I-70. The work zone through Terre Haute has a posted 55 mph speed limit, and the troopers have been reporting traffic stops of vehicles, including semi trucks, traveling more than 70 mph. For good measure, the ISP is posting photos of the cars and trucks stopped and their clocked speed.
Adding to the enforcement effort is the announcement last week that the Terre Haute Police Department will soon begin patrolling the stretch of I-70 through Vigo County. City police received permission to allocate unused grant money to fund its effort for the first 10 days of August.
Work zones inevitably raise the risk of traffic problems on heavily traveled highways. History shows that the interstate passing through west-central Indiana has been particularly vulnerable to bad crashes during periods of road construction and maintenance. This increases the pressure on police and transportation officials to make sure everything possible is done to minimize that risk. But motorists share the responsibility as well. Distracted or inattentive drivers, or those who violate posted warnings and speed limits, are often the primary cause of vehicular crashes.
We commend state and local police for the aggressive enforcement measures they're taking to ensure motorists are complying with traffic laws and driving safely. The summer travel season is far from over. There has already been far too much tragedy on our roadways.