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Dozens of accidents reported following first snowfall of the year
YOUNGSTOWN
As snow fell for the first time this year, a number of accidents were reported across the Mahoning Valley on Friday.
Youngstown police responded to about 25 accidents between 2 and 7 p.m., Capt. Rod Foley said.
“Nothing serious as far as injuries, but [there were] a lot of fender-benders and people off the road,” he said.
The majority of accidents occurred on major thoroughfares such as Interstate 680 and the Madison Avenue Expressway, and all were related to icy patches on roads and bridges, Foley said.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Canfield Post handled accidents on the section of 680 from Midlothian Boulevard south to the turnpike.
OSHP reported about six minor accidents on 680 between 4 and 7 p.m.
Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported about six or seven accidents on Interstate 376 Friday evening. Police said the bridges were “sheets of ice,” but road conditions were fine, and no serious injuries were reported.
The Ohio Department of Transportation had a few trucks pre-treating roads in Mahoning County today, according to ODOT District 4 spokesman Justin Chesnic. About 10 crews were out in Trumbull County, he said, because there was more snowfall there.
“That first snowfall is typically the worst, because motorists have to get used to winter conditions,” Chesnic said. He said there were no major problems on any state roads.
Chesnic urged motorists to be careful as winter conditions set in.
“Motorists just have to prepare to slow down, give themselves extra time,” he said. “Pay attention, stay alert.”
And if passing a snowplow, “please just do so cautiously,” he said.
ODOT constantly monitors weather conditions to determine if crews are needed, he said.
“We’ll continue to monitor it throughout the weekend. It looks pretty dry [Saturday], slight chance of snow Sunday,” he said. “If things look warranted, they’ll dispatch people and treat the roads.”