Osburn woman killed in I-90 crash
WALLACE – Emergency crews operating in Shoshone County have been busy the last couple weeks with the latest round of winter weather.
Heavy snow fall and icy roads have been responsible for (or contributed to) several vehicle crashes across the area– one of them resulting in a fatality.
Idaho State Police reported on Feb. 15 that Charity L. Andrews, 43, of Osburn, Idaho was killed that morning as the result of her car sliding off Interstate-90.
At approximately 6:56 a.m., Andrews was driving a blue 2014 Toyota Corolla on westbound I-90 when she suddenly lost control of the vehicle at milepost 53 near Big Creek and left the roadway on the north side.
The Corolla then rolled onto its top and slid across Silver Valley Road, finally coming to a rest in the north side ditch.
Emergency personnel with Shoshone County Fire District No. 2 responded to the incident and transported Andrews to Shoshone Medical Center in Kellogg. She was later was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
ISP stated that Andrews was not wearing her safety belt at the time of the crash and next of kin had been notified.
The cause of the crash was determined to be a combination of hazardous road conditions and bald tires on the Corolla.
Accidents and slide-off such as this have been common over the past two weeks here in the Silver Valley area.
From Feb. 3-17, the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office has received a total of 43 accident reports and 13 slide-off reports from the Rose Lake area to the Montana State Line. These numbers do not include the many incidents that have occurred on Fourth of July Pass as well.
Two accidents involving semi-trucks during this time have even been responsible for complete traffic stoppages on the Interstate for a period of time.
While sometimes these incidents cannot be avoided, officials stress that practicing safe driving habits can reduce the risk of a crash and/or injury.
SCSO Saptain Jeremy Groves warns that drivers need to have their guards up due to constant changing conditions.
“Ice snow and rain can come at anytime and slower traveling speeds are always recommended.”
Part of having your guard up while driving in these conditions involves giving yourself more time to get to your destination. Since slower driving speeds and unexpected accidents are a very real possibility, leaving early can help ensure that you get where you’re going on time.
Even with slower speeds though, drivers can still find themselves losing control of their vehicle. If this happens, Groves stresses that you should not over break or lock up your breaks if possible.
“Once breaks become locked up or excessive breaking occurs,” he states, “it prevents the driver from being able to maintain steering or control of the vehicle.”
The Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management also recommends preparing an emergency kit, carrying a cell phone and a car charger, avoiding cruise control in snow and ice, and being especially careful when approaching intersections, ramps, bridges and shady areas– as all are prone to icing.