Below are some reader accounts of the crash in the Ottawa Citizen:
The emergency response was excellent. The firefighters, police and ambulances were on site within minutes. One of the worst parts of the day - the tow truck drivers. Those people have a license to steal. It took less than a minute to get cars out of the ditch, then they hit you with a $175.00 charge, that you have to pay - right here, right now - and you've got no choice. Vultures. I thought it was great that OC Transpo has buses out to keep people warm. It was chilly. -- R. WATSON
One factor that might have contributed to this accident is the fact that driver do not turn their headlights on, thus also turning the tail lights on.
In the newer cars, only the headlights are turned on when you start the engine leaving the tail lights dark. Unless you actually turn the headlights on, the rear of your car is invisible.
A few weeks back, I drove 416 in a snow condition late afternoon and was surprised to see how many cars were dark in the back but had their headlights on.
It might be a public service if the radio stations reporting traffic conditions around the capital, advised the drivers to turn on their lights. -- Jacques d'Avignon