What’s causing motorists to crash on I-10 east of the Valley?

Three big rigs overturned Saturday morning within a couple miles of each other on Interstate 10, killing two men. On Sunday morning, two crashes sent three people to the hospital, including one child in critical condition. Then, on Monday, nine people were injured in two crashes that happened less than a half hour apart. All of these crashes occurred on the same stretch of I-10, just east of the Coachella Valley.

“On Interstate 10 between the Coachella Valley and the Desert Center roadway there has been an increase in collisions recently,” Officer Mike Radford, with the Indio California Highway Patrol, told CBS Local 2’s and KESQ News Channel 3’s Katie Widner on Monday.

Radford said there were a few different factors that could have contributed to the crashes, including high winds, driver fatigue and distraction.

“It is a long stretch of highway and there’s not a lot going on out there,” he said. “In any scenario, it takes 100 percent of attention to drive properly.”

Radford said that too often, not buckling up is the reason accidents become deadly.

“Fifty percent of people that die in traffic incidents are not wearing seat belts,” Radford added.

The portion of I-10 under scrutiny cuts right through the desert. The many miles of open land can cause tunnel vision and drowsiness, and the California Department of Transportation said they are seeing more semitrucks out on the roadways.

“We’ve seen a spike in truck accidents over the last two, three, four years because we have so much goods movement taking place on the corridor,” said Terri Kasinga, from Caltrans.

Kasinga added that the department is looking into how to educate drivers about the increase in the number of tractor-trailers passing through Riverside County.

“Motorists share the road with those trucks, so everybody needs to be alert for each other,” she added.

Kasinga added that it is imperative that drivers be prepared since the rest stops along I-10 are aging and not always open to the public. She recommended that drivers fill up on gas, make sure their vehicles are in good running condition, and make sure they are well-rested before hitting the road.

Travelers can check road conditions online at caltrans8.info. Clik on the Travel tab and then select Quick Map.