Old man winter delivered his first blow of the season Sunday with what will sure be a record-breaking amount of snow and wreaked havoc on Northumberland and Quinte roads.
As the snow kept falling and with blowing snow also reducing visibility, area first-responders were kept busy with dozens of crashes along Hwy. 401 alone – although initial reports point to no life-threatening injuries.
Locally, a multi-vehicle wreck Sunday on Hwy. 401 eastbound near Lyle Street in Grafton shut down the highway and caused congestion for several hours. The collision sent at least one person to hospital with minor injuries, according to OPP.
Meanwhile, at one point, OPP East Region reported responding to more than 120 collisions between just the hours of noon and 4 p.m. Sunday. Most of the reports involved cars and trucks sliding off the road, but others involved multiple vehicles.
Similarly, in the GTA, OPP’s Highway Safety Division reported 340 collisions in a 24-hour span, with police again describing the incidents as mostly minor in nature, but several also preventable.
In the wake of the storm aftermath and continued slippery and icy road conditions, Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) confirmed Monday morning that all transportation was cancelled for Northumberland, Clarington, the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County.
Police are continuing to urge residents to exercise caution if out on the roads.
Drivers are reminded to slow down and drive according to conditions, leave extra space between vehicles, use their headlights in low visibility, avoid distractions, allot extra time for travel, to steer gently to avoid skidding, and ensure all snow is cleared from their vehicles before heading out. Drivers should also avoid using cruise control on wet, snowy and icy pavement, said police.
