KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The blowing snow made travel east of Kansas City along I-70 treacherous on Thursday morning, as a wreck involving three tractor-trailers near Oak Grove shut down the west-bound lanes for several hours.
The long delay was too much for some truckers, who tried to bypass the wreck by using the frontage road, but many found that drive even more daunting.
“When I got on this road, the interstate was completely blocked, it wasn’t moving at all,” said trucker Jimmy Eaton. “So I got on here and to get to Oak Grove and I ended up worse ’cause the interstate is moving and I’m not.”
Eaton wasn’t alone, as dozens of drivers found themselves slipping and sliding on the frontage road.
“We went this way, because the interstate was backed up,” since trucker Ernie Cruwell. “But since we got here, the interstate’s been clear and now we are sitting waiting.”
Jessie Starr, a 20-year veteran of the road who was driving his rig from Virginia to Colorado, said that drivers shouldn’t lose their heads when they’re navigating wintery roads.
“Too many accidents, people that don’t know what is going on, driving to fast and over-react,” said Starr, who says that slamming on your brakes is one of the worst things you can do in slippery conditions – especially with a semi in your rear-view mirror. “You take your time, you can do it, piece of cake man.”
