Wisconsin State Trooper advises what to do after a wintry crash

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- After several pileups on Wisconsin highways Sunday, December 8th, many have been left wondering what to do should they become involved in a winter crash.

The Wisconsin State Patrol typically advises motorists to stay in their vehicles after an accident however when roads are icy, troopers say, all bets are off. A driver's number one priority should be getting the vehicle off the road.

"Your best bet is to move to the next exit and get off the roadway altogether," said Wisconsin State Trooper Steve Lindemann.

Lindemann says when roads are icy, vehicles in the distress lane of the highway are in danger of being hit by oncoming traffic.

"Another car comes around and hits that same location on the road that's icy, they're going to crash right into where you're at because that's where you ended up after you crashed -- so that's the worst place in the world to be when the roads are icy," explained Lindemann. "If somebody hits you sideways on the road and you're the side that's facing impact, you're not going to walk away from that."

Lindemann says if your vehicle isn't driveable, you need to exit the car and get as far away from it as possible.

"Most important thing is be some place safe and again, if it happened because the road was icy or slick, that means there's a big chance something could happen behind you," Linemann said.

Another important tip Lindemann stresses is dressing appropriately for the weather, even if you just plan on making a quick trip.