Part of the problem was probably that the pilot felt extreme pressure, whether implicit or explicit, to get the passengers to their destination in time for a basketball game for the children.
It must be pretty hard to think to yourself, “Oh, landing on the side of the freeway and telling them to call an Uber is the best move to make right now,” rather than, “I think I can, I think I can.”
Push-through-itis can be deadly.