Interstate 55 pileup in snow caught on camera in 4K - Elkhart, Illinois - February 8, 2017

Heavy snow created icy roads and low visibilities across central Illinois on Wednesday, leading to this multiple-vehicle pileup on northbound Interstate 55 at Elkhart (north of Springfield). For licensing call Kory Hartman at 605-770-1624 Copyright Dan Robinson. Shot list:

1.) Speeding cars and trucks in low visibility and icy roads, ingredients for a pileup

2.) Pickup truck slides off of the interstate to avoid slowing traffic

3.) The moments before a car slides into a semi are shown. Video of the actual incident is not being released

4.) Semis sliding and partially jackknifing

5.) Minor collision

6,7.) More sliding semis

8.) EMS vehicles on the scene after the visibility improves

9,10.) IDOT snowplows

11.) Dash cam of pickup spinout in front of semi

[jmcclain]

I've driven all over this country in all kinds of horrible weather. Why these people were driving so fast in that kind of weather conditions is beyond me.

[garfieldsmith]

Blinding snow and people still drive like idiots and a lot do not have their lights on.

[rds]

If in a car or pickup....once this stuff starts, drive OFF the road into the field as far as you can go. A tow truck 24 hours later is MUCH better than getting crushed by a semi. Get into the corn NOW !!

[wisemanwalkingdowntheroad]

Drove for a living for 26 years. In snow drive slow with your flashers on and leave VERY BIG gaps in front of you and throw the schedule out the window! Also if things get real bad find a place to hunker down while waiting for the plows and salt spreaders. These simple things got me through a lot of bad weather days while when I got back to the depot to hear about the another macho driver going to see the boss because he slid into a bunch of cars.

[johnoquinn]

Most were driving too fast for the conditions

[jjgravy]

Labels video as pile up. Doesn't show pile up...

[michaelmullingo]

My former company was always good about letting their driver's stay parked on days like this. It was a major factor in why I stayed with them instead of jumping for more money. I survived fourteen years that way and appreciated when I was seeing more commercial vehicle bans on highways during these types of storms in more recent years.

[derekcook]

There's alot of useful footage here! Starting with the first blue rig. The tractor trailer's maintaining a safe speed and following distance, were able to avoid near collisions. Some keep their trucks under professional contorl. Very good job!

[TheHotShit]

Last scene where the Semi driver avoids the truck that loses control and spins out is cool, calm, and great driving skill!!!

[SaintAnnieKG]

This is why Truckers should not stop using CBs during operation of the vehicle. In the 80s and 90s, CBs were special tools used to let other drivers know of upcoming conditions that they were approaching. I can't understand why most people nowadays don't use them. The use of a CB will save countless lives. It's not about old-school, it's about safety.

[rcnelson]

Eighteen-wheeling in the winter: what a tough, miserable job.

[fdjizm]

Just an FYI when it's snowing you should slow down because snow is slippery.
You're welcome.

[taylorpoe]

Every winter I come back and watch some whiteout crashes to give me a healthy dose of ‘don’t drive like an idiot because you’re in a hurry’

[robertwatson]

One glaring thing we see here is none these drivers had the slightest idea they were driving too fast for conditions until they tried to stop---especially the trucks!!!

[barbusie]

I always found a parking lot with a cafe next door when this kind of
weather happened..

[itiswhatitis]

Thank you for not having commercials! It’s nice to just watch the videos! :)

[jerryarnold]

Back in the day people would put their 4 way flashers on when something was going on to slow everyone down, no one does that anymore.

[ourfam]

This video shows some awesome truckers avoiding these accidents, impressive, while some of the smaller vehicles bump right into someone else.

[Finnish_guy]

Are they even using studded or winter tires? If not then good luck with that...

Greetings from Finland, where winter tires are compulsory 1.11. –31.3. ("winter months") or if weather requires them to be used, so basically you need to use them 4-5 months easily (yeah, long winters or ar least roads are snowy or icy late fall and early springtime).

Studded tires are illegal during the summer times or when those are not clearly needed anymore.

[robertoerven]

Great video nice captures, 👍 most of this can be avoided if you slow down and pay attention far ahead of you. This is typical of interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between New Jersey and Harrisburg the area that I'm familiar with. In conditions like this it's a good idea to also turn on your hazard flashers (FOUR WAYS). Some are in a hurry as I'm constantly getting people up my ass and or passing me. Not a good time to be goofing off on your cell phone and I see a lot of that. I recall the winter when we had that whiteout up here on I 78, no one slowed down and of course ended up with a multi pile up.