The North Carolina Highway Patrol had not responded to any serious vehicle accidents in Rowan or Davie counties as of 11 a.m. Monday, though the agency has responded to more than 1,000 calls across the state.
Sgt. B.E. Hower said drivers have taken precautions, slowing down as they head out on snow-covered road.
“We have not had an unusually high number of collisions,” he said.
Hower attributes the low number of incidents to the work done by the N.C. Department of Transportation crews.
“The biggest thing that has helped us is that the DOT has put out the salt brine solution and has been scraping the road this morning,” he said.
Local school districts canceling classes for the day has also decreased the amount of traffic on the roads, Hower said.
Across North Carolina, state troopers had responded to more than 1,100 calls for service between midnight and noon today. Many primary and secondary roads across the state are already covered with snow and ice, a press release from Gov. Bev Perdue’s office said.
For updated road conditions, motorists should call 511 or visit http://tims.ncdot.gov/tims/. Travelers are asked not to call 911 or the State Highway Patrol.
If you absolutely must travel, the N.C. State Highway Patrol recommends the following precautions:
• 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 of the slide. Do not apply the brakes as that will cause further loss of control of the car.