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Man Pinned Between Cars During Chain Reaction Crash On I-696 In Critical Condition

WARREN (WWJ) - A man is in critical condition after being pinned between cars during a chain reaction crash on I-696 on Christmas day.

Police describe a series of three accidents - all connected -- to an initial spinout on the freeway. The driver of the first car  lost control of his car and crashed into a median wall  -- a second vehicle crashed into the first.

The second car's driver got out of his vehicle and went to retrieve items from the back of his 2006 Dodge Van.

That's when, according to police, the driver of a 2007 Honda Accord lost control of his car and hit the van -- pinning the man between cars. He was transferred to an area hospital where he is listed in critical condition.

"These are crashes that could have been avoided," says Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw. "Slow down, the driver is responsible for their vehicle and what occurs inside of that vehicle - and when they lose control of it, it's not the snow's fault or the ice's fault or anyone else's fault but that driver for going too fast.

"A lot of times the crashes don't happen on the day of the big snow storm because most people are leery or they slow down - it's after the plows go through, people start to see pavement, and they start to drive faster than they should be on the roadways.

'I-75 Became A Sheet Of Ice' Driver Says Post-Holiday Road Conditions Frightening

Shaw says if you can't move your car to a safer spot - stay inside the car.

"Michigan law states that if your vehicle is drive-able - you are supposed to get it out of the travel lanes or out of the way of danger - sometimes that's harder to do -- but the safest place to be is in your vehicle with your seat belt buckled - once you're involved in a crash, call 9-1-1," says Shaw.

For the latest from the roads, stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 during Traffic and Weather on the 8s, 24-hours a day. Get more now on our real-time Traffic Page.

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