CHP Truckee Warns Drivers—Then Shares Photo of Car Overturned in the Snow
Only days after warning drivers about slick road conditions on I-80 over Donner Summit near Lake Tahoe, California Highway Patrol (CHP) Truckee posted photos of an overturned car on the side of the highway.
CHP Truckee, which is known for its lighthearted and unique approach to law enforcement social media, didn’t neglect the opportunity, offering a snow-driving PSA.
“Well… Donner Summit wasted no time reminding everyone who runs this mountain,” the patrollers wrote on Instagram alongside images of the crashed car. “Snow is falling, roads are slick, and we’ve already got vehicles taking detours into the brush… If you’re headed this way, SLOW DOWN and give yourself extra space!”
See below.
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Last weekend, in another trademark post, CHP Truckee wrote, “Oooo boy, we’ve been waiting for this! One minute it’s pumpkin spice season, the next it’s snow on Donner Summit.” Fittingly, their post included a clip of comedian and actor Keegan-Michael Key jumping up and down chanting, “I’ve been waiting for this!”
The patrollers also advised drivers to prepare for winter driving conditions, plan ahead, and practice using chains because they “are about to be your new BFF.”
Then, of course, a driver provided a visual demonstration as to why following those instructions is important by veering off the road.
The series of CHP Truckee posts comes as residents and ski resorts across California’s Sierra Nevada are preparing for what could be the first major snowstorm of the 2025-26 season. According to a forecast published by Powderchasers, Palisades Tahoe is set to receive between ten and 16 inches of snow.
WeatherBell/Powderchasers
In all likelihood, the storm will provide CHP Truckee more opportunities to remind drivers how to stay safe—with some wisecracks, memorable one-liners, and silly musical accompaniments on the side.
“Just another Manic Monday… Wish it was Sunday ….but Sunday was almost just as bad, so there really wasn’t a ‘fun day’ to begin with,” CHP Truckee wrote last March, sharing a photo of a car sideways on the road with Manic Monday playing in the background.
Such posts aren’t sneakily made at the expense of drivers. The Chronicle reported in 2024 that a CHP Truckee representative said the office always asks drivers for permission before sharing images from their crash. When more serious accidents happen, like those involving fatalities, CHP Truckee said it doesn’t address them with humor.
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