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Polar vortex, winter storms test driver responsibility
Talking Michigan Transportation
Chapters
0:00
Why Winter Driving Demands Restraint
2:35
Introducing MSP’s Lt. Michael Shaw
4:49
Anatomy Of A “Pileup”
8:58
Speed, Following Distance, Responsibility
12:35
Tech, Zipper Merges, And Tailgating
16:55
Whiteouts Don’t Cause Crashes, Drivers Do
20:25
Tickets, “Crashes” Not “Accidents”
24:10
Road Closures vs Behavior Change
28:21
The Four-Wheel-Drive Confidence Trap
Talking Michigan Transportation
Polar vortex, winter storms test driver responsibility
Jan 22, 2026
Season 8
Episode 253
Michigan Department of Transportation
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, conversations about the vital message to drive to the conditions, especially during winter storms.
First, Michigan State Police 1st Lt. Michael Shaw offers his insights on the causes of multi-vehicle crashes like the one that occurred between Hudsonville and Zeeland in Ottawa County on I-196 Monday, Jan. 19.
Later, Bruce Smith, a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist in Grand Rapids, talks about how the NWS defines various warnings and advisories and what was in place Monday when the crashes occurred.
