Icy Roads cause Numerous Accidents in OC and PC

It was a busy morning for troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Icy roads caused numerous accidents in Oconee and Pickens counties, tells Lance Corporal Joe Hovis, Community Relations Officer for Troop 3 of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. “Actually, I think it was around 30 this morning. It is really not that unusual to see that many collisions in the Computer Aided Dispatch on any given weekday, but normally there not in Pickens and Oconee counties. We certainly believe that maybe black ice contributed to some of those and of course we had heavy fog. It just all came together at one time and kind of hit everybody at one time, so there was some extra curricular activity going on down in the Pickens and Oconee area this morning, for sure.” Trooper Hovis offers this safety advise when driving in foggy conditions on icy roads. “Number one, you should slow your speed and increase your distance. Anytime that you are traveling in adverse weather or even rain, you should slow your speed down because that way you give yourself a little more time to react. Increase your traveling distance between yourself and the person in front of you, that also gives you a chance to hit the brakes, stop and avoid a crash. If your following too close and you are on black ice or any type of ice, you’re not going to be able to do that. So, slow your speed and increase your distance. Make sure if you are traveling in winter weather, if you are going to go on a long trip, make sure you have some things in your car in case something happens. Make sure you have some water in your car, snacks, blanket, flashlight and make sure that your cellphone is charged. Some people even carry candles in their glove box just in case. So, just a small survival kit that you might need if you are going to be traveling.” Anytime you have to drive in adverse weather conditions, limit your distractions and stay alert behind the wheel.