Sixth Indiana Trooper Hurt This Week in Highway Crash

Perrine said troopers have investigated more than 500 crashes in Indianapolis over the past five days.

Police lights crime scene — Source: Ajax9 / Getty

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana State Police trooper injured in a crash Thursday on Interstate 70 west of the Plainfield exit is expected to be OK, but police say driver behavior, not road conditions, remains the primary cause of recent crashes across the Indianapolis area.

State Police Sgt. John Perrine said the trooper was investigating an earlier crash involving injuries and was seated in his patrol car to protect the scene when another vehicle spun out and struck the rear of the squad car with significant force.

Perrine said troopers have investigated more than 500 crashes in Indianapolis over the past five days, and in none of those cases were road conditions listed as the primary cause.

“We’re tired of hearing the excuse that the roads are slick and hazardous,” Perrine said. “We don’t blame the road conditions for the crashes. People need to be prepared for those hazardous conditions.”

He said roads may appear clear and dry, but icy and slick spots remain, creating dangerous driving conditions. Perrine said drivers often fail to adjust their speed or driving behavior to account for the weather.

In some cases, Perrine said, crashes can escalate into criminal investigations involving impaired driving. Even when that is not the case, traffic infractions such as speeding too fast for conditions are frequently factors.

“Please slow down,” Perrine said. “The roads may look fine, but they’re not.”