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More than one car crash a minute during Virginia snow storm

Posted at 7:23 AM, Feb 13, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-13 16:40:17-05

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Virginia State Police responded to 1,095 crashes across the state between 4 p.m. Wednesday and 4 p.m. Thursday.

That means Virginians averaged 1.31 car crashes a minute during that 24-hour time frame. That number does not include crashes handled by city or county police.

During that same time period, state police emergency dispatch centers received 4,052 calls for service, or three calls a minute. Those calls include crashes and disabled vehicles.

As of 4:30 p.m., 61 traffic crashes were being worked by troopers across the state.

"The majority of crashes investigated by state police have only involved damage to vehicles and no injuries. There were no reported traffic deaths during that time period," Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller wrote in a Thursday morning email.

So where did most of the crashes occur? You guessed it -- Richmond. Actually, the Richmond Division, which includes Amelia, Caroline, Chesterfield, Charles City, Dinwiddie, Essex, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Louisa, New Kent, Nottoway, Northumberland, Petersburg, Powhatan, Richmond, Westmoreland, Prince George, and King George.

Location Traffic Crashes Disabled Vehicles Calls for Service
Richmond Division 307 157 745
Chesapeake Division 188 96 609
Appomattox Division 166 115 472
Salem Division 151 250 699
Culpeper Division 89 129 397
Wytheville Division 157 157 514
Fairfax Division 97 212 633

A fatal crash Wednesday on Route 501 Halifax County remains under investigation. Police have not yet determined if weather was a factor in the crash.

Crane semi wreck In Richmond on Wednesday afternoon, a crane that was scraped off a flatbed truck when it drove under an overpass landed on a woman's car.

“I couldn’t believe I’m alive,” the 30-year-old mother told CBS 6 reporter Mark Holmberg. "I just thought the car is going to blow up. This is the first thing that came to mind."

The mother suffered minor injuries. The trucker was charged with equipment being over height, according to state police.

Overturned Snowplow On Thursday morning, after the crash stats for this story were counted, a snowplow overturned in the Highland Springs area of Henrico County.

Since Henrico Police investigated the snowplow crash, it is unclear whether this crash would have been counted by the Virginia State Police.

"Virginians are still advised to stay off the roads this morning and through today until conditions improve," Geller said. "Virginians are also advised not to call 911 or #77 on a cell phone for road conditions."