Massive pileup on Texas Interstate. Why are roads open in this kind of weather?

 

  While this answer is not or may not be sufficient, it’s all I could come up with when at a loss for something more concrete: I’m sure that in hindsight, the authorities wish they had closed the road. 

  At the same time, however, two thoughts come to mind. 1) Authorities are often “darned” if they do act and “darned” if they don’t act. Inconveniencing the traveling public often brings outcries against those who are trying to serve and protect from the very people being served and protected. 2) Many motorists completely ignore road closures. When flash floods occur here in Southern California, they’re so rare that few drivers know their true danger and go around posted barriers, find themselves stuck and have to be rescued, which in turn pits first responders in an even more dangerous situation. That’s not to say “don’t close the road”, it’s just bringing up another twist in the dilemma. 

~

I'm trying to think of a time when roads were closed here to to weather conditions and I don't recall any. Sometimes the highway department will warn against unnecessary travel. I suspect that closing roads without warning would cause its own problems. I have driven in white-out conditions and on roads that were completely ice covered usually because weather conditions worsened as I was trying to get back home. We do have times when schools and businesses shut down so that people don't have reasons to get out on the road - although it usually means some of us have no choice but to head for home if it happens during the day. It's a tough decision to shut down every time there is a forecasted weather event, because the exact timing and location can change at the last minute. A change in temperature can mean that rain becomes sleet or that forecasted sleet stays as rain, for example. I will say that because our weather is so risky, people here are better at driving in adverse conditions. It only takes one inexperienced driver to set off a chain reaction which may be what happened in Texas.

I have never seen a highway or interstate ever closed because of the weather.  

People have the right to drive if they choose even in bad weather. 

I have only seen one road closed in bad weather. It is a very steep side road...like 80 degree angle road. 

I don't mean any disrespect to people from southern states, but most simply do not know how to drive on ice or snow because they've never had to learn. Highway departments also don't have the necessary tools (salt, sand, plows) to combat these elements.