DAVID MUIR (ABC NEWS)(OC): We do move on, though, and to a deadly scene playing out on one of America's major highways, a massive pileup in New Orleans, 40 cars in a tangled, deadly mess, triggered in part by dense fog. Tonight, authorities say it offers a lesson for all of us, as so many hit the road for the New Year's weekend. Here's ABC's Matt Gutman.
MATT GUTMAN (ABC NEWS)(VO): The pileup left a mangled mash of metal and bodies. More than 60 injured, 22 hospitalized and two people dead. The crippled cars and trucks sprawled over a half mile of Interstate 10, SUVs pancaked under tractor trailers, sedans sliced in half. Investigators said a low-rolling fog made it impossible to see the road. Fog-related incidents are the most deadly type of accident. The world's biggest pile up in Dubai three years ago - 227 cars - was also caused by fog.
NANCY WHITE (AAA SPOKESPERSON): People wouldn't think twice about not driving when there is a terrible snowstorm, and yet fog can cause many of the same types of problems.
MATT GUTMAN (ABC NEWS)(VO): So, if you find yourself in a dense fog, crack the window and listen for traffic. Don't stop in the traffic lanes. And most importantly, don't pass an exit. Use the off-ramp to get off the main road and away from trouble. Matt Gutman, ABC News, Miami.