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Gary Woodall: In order to get a dust storm, we have two primary ingredients. Number one
is strong winds, and then dry ground, and since local use, fields that have been plowed
or not plowed can also affect how much dust can get picked up it is difficult to forecast
exactly when and where a dust storm may impact.
Whenever there are thunderstorms forecast or you see thunderstorms developing in the
area where you're located or where you're heading, keep the possibility of dust in the
back of your mind. It may develop and come up upon you suddenly and can create dramatic
changes in visibility.
Leo Reyes: I had no visibility 10 to 15 feet ahead of me. I actually pulled off to the
side because I was a little worried, not that our car was going to flip over or anything
but more worried that something's going to happen where we were going to get hit by another
vehicle.
Pat Calhoun: With dust storm related accidents, it's high risk and low frequency, so we don't
see them a lot, but when we do it's usually pretty devastating.
You have cars that are underneath semis, you have cars into cars, nobody really slows down
they just go in there blind and then you're hitting another vehicle at full speed.
Bart Graves: There's a lot of smoke, mixed in with the dust. They're trying to get to
the injured they're trying to assess how many fatalities they have they're trying to assist
fire department personnel as best as they can and they just can't see what they're doing.
It's difficult.
Dustin Krugel: One of our major themes this summer is Pull Aside to Stay Alive, we want
motorists to know what to do if they encounter a dust storm. When you have limited visibility
ahead, that is the time to pull off to the side of the road. Here's some tips for drivers
if they encounter a dust storm. (on screen graphic list)
Bart Graves: I think people come to a false sense of security. The see traffic still moving,
so they're thinking: "Well, if this guy in front of me is going t power through it, I'm
going to power through it and I'll come out on the other end, and it'll pass by."
You don't know that.
Dustin Krugel: Don't waste any time, and don't try to continue going into the storm. Pull
Aside to Stay Alive.