A downstate Illinois truck accident shut down traffic on I-57 and I-70 for 25 miles on Monday afternoon. Two semi trucks hauling modular homes on I-57 missed their exits and end up at the construction zone west of Effingham on I-70. The first truck hit a concrete construction barrier, blocking the roadway entirely. State police reported that the truck drivers were lost.

Traffic behind the trucks was forced to drive backward to the I-57/I-70 split. A truck in the stalled traffic was unable to back up because it was pulling two trailers. A tow truck finally extricated the semi, but the congestion became much worse as a result.

Traffic was re-routed along U.S. 40 and U.S. 45 for four hours and state police were enlisted to direct the unusually heavy traffic on these smaller roads. Entrances to the Interstates were blocked until the wedged trucks were cleared. The congestion on the roads worsened because a truck on U.S. 40 broke down.

Although the accident caused no injuries, it illustrates two important factors in any motor vehicle crash. First, being lost increases the chances of a crash. Second, accidents have a ripple effect, and frequently cause additional problems with traffic or even subsequent crashes.

Source: Effingham Daily News, "Accident closes interstates", by Samantha Newburn, Jan. 10, 2012.