Snow leaves some roads slick

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported a few fender-benders, including two on the Interstate 95 bridge over U.S. Highway 70 at Smithfield, but no serious injuries.

Posted 12:16 a.m. Feb 4, 2009 — Updated 9:12 p.m. Mar 9, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. — Road crews who pre-treated bridges and major routes across the state saw their work pay off Wednesday morning as a swath of snow crossed the central part of North Carolina.

As the snowfall moved quickly to the east Wednesday, it left behind some wet roads where ice is possible.

The state Highway Patrol reported a few fender-benders, including two on the Interstate 95 bridge over U.S. Highway 70 at Smithfield, but no serious injuries.

Tow-truck operators in Johnston County said they were busy Wednesday morning pulling cars out of ditches and clearing wrecks on back roads, where shady spots left icy patches that caught drivers by surprise.

In Moore County, a school bus skidded off the road at the intersection of N.C. Highway 73 and Mills Road. One student was on the bus at the time, but no injuries were reported.

Snow could be seen falling onto already-wet roads in the Fayetteville area as the morning rush hour commenced. Traffic was expected to be somewhat lighter than normal, after more than 100 schools and businesses delayed opening in anticipation of icy roads.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport was reporting some delays and cancellations due to the weather.

In western North Carolina, the state Department of Transportation reported that snow and ice covered roads in the Asheville area. Police said there were multiple accidents Tuesday night on Interstate 40 in Haywood County and accidents in Asheville. Forecasters said 12 to 14 inches of snow were possible at the highest elevations, near the Tennessee border.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol offered these tips to help drivers navigate slick roads:

Clear your vehicle's windows and mirrors.
Reduce your speed. Driving at the regular speed limit will reduce your ability to control the car if you begin to slide.
Leave plenty of room between you and other vehicles.
Bridges and overpasses accumulate ice first. Approach them with extreme caution and do not apply your brakes while on the bridge.
If you do begin to slide, take your foot off the gas and turn the steering wheel in the direction your car is sliding. Do not apply the brakes – that will make you lose even more control of the car..
Come to a complete stop or yield the right-of-way at intersections where traffic lights are out. Treat this situation as a four-way stop.
If you have a cellular phone, take it with you. You can reach the Highway Patrol statewide by dialing *HP (*47) or the local county emergency center by dialing 911.

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