Caught in a brown out? Colorado safety experts share what to do

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – Colorado State Patrol says Tuesday’s deadly car pile-up just south of Pueblo stemmed from a brown out.

High wind and dry terrain can cause low to no visibility in an instant.

Colorado State Patrol Sergeant Ivan Alvarado said brown outs are very unpredictable. You can’t tell where the wind is going to hit, and if it hits a dry field or farm, you could find yourself in the middle of a brown out in the blink of an eye.

This could last for a few seconds or a few minutes, meaning you can’t predict when you may be able to see clearly again.

Alvarado said there are two things you should not do when caught in a brown out, do not come to a complete stop, and do not continue to go the speed limit.

A mixture of these two actions on the road can be deadly.

Sergeant Alvarado said drivers should slow down, put their hazards on, and pull over to the right shoulder if possible.

Alvarado said being caught in a brown out is a scary situation, and people should be aware of this, but they should also do their best to stay calm.

“Everybody has to learn that we do have to be cautious,” Alvarado continued, “Be a little bit fearful, but it doesn’t mean let the fear take the wheel and do something that could be more chaotic.”

If you are able to avoid driving through a brown out, that’s your best option.

If you see one ahead of you, don’t wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway.

The high wind is not over yet.

The Colorado Department of Transportation is telling people to keep an eye out for possible safety closures in areas south of U.S. Highway 50, including Interstate 25 South of Pueblo, through February 19.

Alvarado said Colorado has a wide range of weather, so he also suggests that drivers check the weather in the area they’re headed to before traveling there.

He said just because it’s warm in one spot doesn’t mean it won’t be snowing or windy in a different spot.

Alvarado added that while agencies like CDOT and CSP are monitoring situations, it’s important that you are being your own advocate as well.

“Just because you didn’t get told you shouldn’t be on the road doesn’t mean it isn’t your responsibility to assess, should I be on the road right now?” said Alvarado.

CDOT said when winds reach 60 mph, that is usually when it starts making decision on any possible restrictions on high profile vehicles and other semis. The 11 alert weather team says wind gusts topped at 61 miles per hours on Tuesday.

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