Light Dusting Causes Accidents, Slippery Roads
WESTMINSTER, Md. (WJZ)-- The snowflakes that fell on central Maryland on Friday were short lived, but they caused major problems on the roads. A hill in Owings Mills was so slick and icy that it brought vehicles to a standstill and caused a major roadblock.
Weijia Jiang spoke with drivers where the conditions were worst.
An icy day in some parts of Maryland quickly turned into a night of precaution. Road crews coated roads with an extra layer of salt after dozens of accidents snarled traffic for hours, well into rush hour.
"You could see the roads had that shine to 'em, they were terrible," said Lew Marshall,Westminster driver.
That's why Marshall says he stayed indoors as long as he could.
"Tonight I'm just making sure I keep my following distance, taking my time," Marshall said. "If I didn't have to be at work, I wouldn't be out."
"Our phones are ringing off the hook at Westminster barrack, Golden Ring, Waterloo, all in this area of major highways of 70, 83, 695," said Elena Russo, Maryland State Police spokesperson.
One call came from Tony Glasser, who slammed into an 18-wheeler on a Carroll County back road. The crash caused his car to spin into a ditch.
"Oh, my God. It was horrible," Glasser said. "You see your life flash before your eyes going under a truck."
State highway authorities say the storm is likely just a small taste of what's to come, but they say they're ready to deal with winter. In one Westminster salt dome alone there's more than 800 tons of salt ready to go.
"It seems to be early in the season, so I'm bracing myself for a pretty nasty winter," said Nick Voland, Westminster driver.
WJZ found Voland prepping his snow plow, which he rushed to do after the first flurries fell.
And while most of the 200 plus state highway trucks that were out have since called it a night, plenty are on standby just in case.
"If you don't have to go out, then don't go out," said Mary Dire, Westminster driver. "It's better to be safe than sorry."
Transportation authorities want drivers to use today as a jumpstart to make sure those brakes, batteries and tires are ready for a heavier snowfall.
