After a deadly collision close to the Eisenhower Tunnel, the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 were shut down at the Silverthorne exit for several hours. The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) reports that at around 12:03 PM, a box truck and a semi-truck were involved in a collision.
According to CSP, a box truck was following the semi while it was moving slowly uphill and had its danger lights on when the driver swerved to miss the semi. A 55-year-old Renton, Washington, the man was killed instantly when the box truck’s passenger side collided with the back of the semi.
No citations have been issued, according to State Patrol, and the collision is still being investigated. According to CSP, the box truck’s driver wasn’t driving too fast. Over seven hours were spent with the eastbound lanes shut down. During the closure, eastbound traffic was detoured through U.S. 6 to Loveland Pass.
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Tips for driving safely
These recommendations for safe driving in Colorado are provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT):
- Take nothing for granted
- Reduce speed
- Avoid tailgating.
- Be mindful of emergency personnel
- Follow signs
- Respect flaggers
- Keep your focus and limit any distractions.
- Follow the flow of the traffic
- Make a driving plan.
- Remain cool and patient.
It’s also critical to pay attention to emergency vehicles.
According to Colorado’s Move Over Law, when there is an emergency on the shoulder, cars must move over a lane. In order to prevent an accident, the driver must considerably slow down if they are unable to move over.
The law was put into effect in 2005 and made stronger in 2020. According to a CDOT news release: “The revised regulation mandates that on roads with a speed limit lower than 45 miles per hour, drivers must slow down to at least 25 miles per hour if they are unable to move at least one lane away from a stationary emergency vehicle.
Drivers must reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted limit on roads having speed limits of 45 mph or more. Careless driving is a class 2 misdemeanour traffic charge that carries a maximum penalty of $300 in fines and up to 90 days in jail for violators who fail to slow down or move over.”
