Video footage of two people trying to outrun a vehicle sliding toward their stalled car on the side of Interstate 94 in downtown St. Paul last weekend should serve as a cautionary tale for winter driving, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The agency posted the video to its social media accounts Friday, along with a warning to drivers to use caution as they travel to their holiday destinations through what could be treacherous conditions as a winter storm sweeps through the region.
The video was captured by a Minnesota Department of Transportation traffic monitoring camera on Sunday, when frigid temperatures followed a 6-inch snowfall.
“This is what can happen when you don’t slow down and drive for conditions,” read the post on the State Patrol’s Facebook page.
The post also advised people to remain in their vehicle if they get in an accident.
The vehicle shows two people standing outside a car with its lights flashing on the side of the freeway, seemingly waiting for help. Suddenly, another car rounds a bend and starts sliding across lanes of traffic before slamming into the stalled vehicle. The two people are seen running as they try to escape the car’s path. At least one other car also goes out of control and crashes near the stalled vehicle.
The weekend forecast in the Twin Cities area includes the chance for freezing rain late Saturday night and into Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday evening could be rainy with a possible thunderstorm.