Posted 1/05/2012 09:22:00 PM by Douglas

54 people injured in a 79 car pileup as people in South East Texas drove into smoke and fog earlier this morning. Here's the interesting part:

What was reported as a wreck at 5:36 a.m. actually involved more than 50 vehicles in a series of accidents along the eastbound lanes of the highway west of the Taylors Bayou bridge in the area of the Veolia Processing Plant, Department of Public Safety troopers said.

Troopers Candace Evans and David Crawford said prior to the collisions, the eastbound traffic appeared to be moving at about 70 mph despite heavy fog and limited visibility. Drivers going in the other direction apparently were moving more slowly and cautiously, they added.

Acadian Ambulance reported taking 37 people from accident scene, while several other patients were transported by Air Rescue and Hermann Life Flight. Other medical transport vehicles came from Southeast Texas, Winnie-Stowell and Anahuac EMS organizations, Acadian personnel said.

So, people drive into zero visibility conditions, some slow down and others don't, resulting in mass hysteria. Yet a helicopter pilot, undoubtedly observing proper IFR procedures was able to land and get them out and to the hospital without running into anyone. How's that for having the proper training when you need it?

It's very difficult to drive IFR. Maybe there needs to be an app for your phone that can squawk the tower.