Iowa Experiences 200 Car Accidents Over 3 Days Due to Severe Fall Weather

Iowa Faces Heavy Snow Accidents

The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) reported over 200 vehicle accidents from November 27 to November 30, primarily due to severe snow and ice affecting travel conditions.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, roughly 11 inches of snow fell across the state, leading to significant impact on roads. Notably, eight of the 200 accidents involved snowplows, which IDOT confirmed were struck by other vehicles. An update on December 2 highlighted this issue.

“In recent storms, our plows have been hit multiple times,” IDOT noted. They mentioned a rear-end collision that occurred near the Sioux/O’Brien county line on Iowa 60, but thankfully, there were no injuries reported. They urged the public to be cautious, as their plows travel between 16 and 35 mph and often kick up snow clouds,” they added, including footage of a recent incident during heavy snowfall.

After a towing ban was lifted on November 30, KCCI reported a surge in calls for towing services due to the harsh weather conditions. Andy DeBord from Perry’s Service and Towing mentioned that his phone started ringing off the hook as soon as they opened at 7 a.m. one Sunday, receiving three calls within mere seconds.

He remarked, “We were hit with 10- to 12-inch balls from the start, which caught many off guard.”

Cedar Rapids reportedly set a record for the most snowfall in a single November day, with totals ranging from 10 to 12 inches. Some areas experienced even greater amounts, including 14.8 inches in Jessup and 14.5 inches in both Waterloo and Cedar Falls, according to CBS 2 Iowa.

Even after the holiday weekend, icy conditions persisted, complicating travel. On December 1, KWWL detailed two rollover accidents that left a semi-truck stranded near the Ansborough Avenue on-ramp and the U.S. 63 off-ramp.