All photos property of Michigan Live

By now the whole country is aware of the horrific193 vehicle pile up on I94 in Michigan last week, and videos are populating YouTube from various user accounts showing first-hand representation of the carnage as it was happening. It’s tragic, and also leaves a lot of open-ended questions from those in other states, especially states that don’t see this type of weather or road conditions very often.

One of the first questions that came to mind was: why are cars driving so fast on an icy road with limited visibility? We realize that snow and ice can wreak havoc on the roadways, and you would hope that people are well aware of this in Michigan, but it didn’t seem to slow very many people down in the video above. While we saw a couple of vehicles that didn’t make impact with the pile up, there were some vehicles that seemed to be going way too fast for the conditions.

We’ve all seen it just about anywhere else, in foggy conditions out here in California we have seen the pile ups, too. Drivers who drive without their headlights on in less than visible conditions are a hazard not just to themselves, but to others. There’s a reason why gearheads in the Northeast let their musclecars hibernate for the winter, and this is one of those reasons.

Seeing the video of the cars sliding into the abyss above and the fireworks explosion in the video below, all we can say is that our hearts go out to the families affected by this tragic accident, and a friendly reminder to turn on your lights, slow it down, and if you come upon a seen like this just remember: even if you stop safely, it doesn’t mean those behind you will too. If this happens, make sure it’s safe and get yourself to safety when you can, far off to the side of the roadway.  No matter how good of a driver you are, snow and ice don’t care about your skills. Be safe, everyone!