Dust storms are exceedingly rare in Illinois. However, Illinois State Police are pointing to them as the cause of two fatal wrecks this past May. Though uncommon, the St. Louis car accident attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman want to make you aware of this threat…

Accidents Result From High Winds, Dust and Reduced Visibility
Gusting winds of 45mph blinded drivers with dust on rural interstates, taking the lives of two people: One, a 53-year-old Chatham man, was killed when he struck a semi-trailer, then was rear-ended by another vehicle on I-72. Another, a 16-year-old Mahomet boy, perished after crashing into the back of a semi in Douglas County just an hour after the first incident. (All others survived, with non-life-threatening injuries.)

Dust Storm Safety Tips
Though rare in the area, a National Weather Service meteorologist noted near-perfect dust storm conditions the Wednesday of these incidents. Do you know how to handle yourself if caught driving in a dust storm?

• Never stop in a travel lane. Pull-off whenever possible.
• Set your emergency brake, taking your foot off the brake pedal (you don’t want others to follow you off-road/hit you).
• Turn off all vehicle lights and wait-out the storm.
• If you can’t pull over, turn on lights and sound your horn intermittently.

Injured by a careless driver? The St. Louis car accident attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman are on your side. Contact us today.