Icy roads trouble motorists, schools
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The driver of a Budweiser truck, packed with about 30,000 pounds of canned and bottled brew, escaped serious injury Monday when his truck flipped over on an embankment off the side of Route 103 in Wallingford. VYTO STARINSKAS / RUTLAND HERALD |
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By Cristina Kumka Herald Staff - Published: January 6, 2009
Freezing rain pelted the pavement across central and southern Vermont early Monday morning, posing problems for more than a dozen drivers who faced roads glazed with ice, including one truck driver who sent his vehicle careering off a roadway and 30,000 pounds of beer with it.
Some area schools declared delayed opening Monday, warding off any potential accidents for buses carrying students.
According to Sgt. Tara Thomas of the Vermont State Police, there were an estimated 16 motor vehicle accidents reported in Rockingham, Brattleboro and southern parts of the state beginning midnight and continuing through early afternoon.
Five of those accidents resulted in injuries for drivers, the result of treacherous early-morning driving conditions, Thomas said. State police did not report any fatal accidents as a result of slick road hazards late Monday.
"It was a black ice sort of morning," Thomas said.
The 29-year-old driver of a FedEx delivery truck was treated for minor injuries at Rutland Regional Medical Center after he crashed his vehicle off Route 22A north of Main Road in West Haven at 1:43 a.m., according to police.
Khadar H. Ali, of Minneapolis, Minn., was heading downhill when he lost control of the truck "because of road conditions," police reported.
His truck veered into the shoulder of the road and crashed, destroying the vehicle.
Ali was wearing his seat belt, police reported.
A hospital spokesperson said Monday night that Ali was treated and released.
The driver of a Budweiser truck, packed with about 30,000 pounds of canned and bottled brew, escaped serious injury when his truck flipped over at 7:22 a.m. Monday on an embankment off the side of Route 103 in Wallingford, according to state Trooper Ian Sawtelle.
The driver, wearing his seat belt, put on the brakes when he saw cars in front of him turning into the lot of a nearby convenience store as he headed north toward Rutland, Sawtelle said.
The truck slid on an icy part of the road, hit a bank of snow and flipped on its side.
Alcohol was not a factor in the crash and no summonses were issued, Sawtelle said.
Sawtelle urged drivers to slow down, even on heavily traveled roads.
"Just because you can't see the snow or ice doesn't mean its not there," he said. "It's what you can't see."
Black ice was also a factor for some local superintendents, who declared two-hour delayed openings for many area schools.
Otter Valley Union High School, Mill River Union High School, Poultney High School and all elementary schools in those districts began their regularly scheduled day at 10:30 a.m. or later due to hazardous road conditions.
"Road crews worked with us really well and got us back up and running," said Becky Congdon, Otter Valley's transportation coordinator.
The National Weather Service predicts a mostly sunny day today with a high of 31 degrees. A chance of less than a half inch of snow is forecast for early Wednesday morning at 1 a.m., with a low around 20 degrees.
Thomas offered advice for drivers who may face similar road hazards later this week.
"Err on the side of caution," she said. "If you don't hear water coming up under your tires, that's a good indication that you're driving on black ice."
Thomas recommended drivers assume road conditions will be bad in light of low early-morning temperatures and maintain posted speed limits.
Contact Cristina Kumka at cristina.kumka@rutlandherald.com.