Hwy. 97 injury crash points to return of black ice
An injured driver was taken to St. Charles Bend early Tuesday after he encountered black ice on Highway 97 near Lava Butte, south of Bend, causing his pickup to slide off the road and overturn, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.
Deputies were dispatched around 4:40 a.m. to the reported single-vehicle rollover crash on the highway near the Lava Butte grade at milepost 149, deputies said.
Deputies learned Daniel Robinson, 52, was heading north at the wheel of a 2006 Ford Ranger when he encountered black ice, causing the truck to slide off the east edge of the road and roll, they said in a news release, adding that “no other factors were believed to be a cause of this crash.”
Robinson was taken by bend Fire ambulance to the Bend hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, deputies said. A house supervisor said he was treated and released.
The road surface at the time was wet, with patches of black ice.
The sheriff’s office reminded motorists that “the winter driving season is upon us,” with wet roads and temperatures near freezing, so “extra caution should be taken when driving in these conditions.”
ODOT responded to the area with sand and/or de-icer, they added.
ODOT District 10 (Central Oregon) Maintenance Manager Pat Creedican also warned motorists to keep a watchful eye for black ice conditions, especially at higher elevations during early-morning hours.
“This is the time of year when black ice conditions can occur in an instant”, Creedican said. “Our weather can turn quickly from just cold and moist to freezing and icy on local highways.”.
Black ice conditions are dangerous because they create a transparent coating of ice on paved surfaces that are difficult for motorists to see, the agency noted. The risk of skidding and subsequent crash due to a loss of traction is high in areas that experience these conditions. Bridges are particularly susceptible to black ice at this time of year.
ODOT is asking motorists to check local forecasts and visit TripCheck.com to learn more about local and state highway conditions.
