RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia State Police have asked Virginians to delay unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
Road conditions are treacherous, police said, with conditions worse south and west of the metro area.
Travel will only continue to worsen as precipitation continues to fall across the Commonwealth. Even in the metro, the surface temperature will stay low enough that the falling precipitation will create slick conditions.
As of 8:30 a.m. Monday, state police are on scene of 62 traffic crashes statewide. There was a fatal crash in Fauquier County, police said, around 7 a.m. that involved two-vehicles. Troopers are also responding to 19 disabled vehicles across the Commonwealth.
From midnight Monday through 7 a.m. Monday state police responded to 163 traffic crashes and 101 disabled vehicles.
The worst area for crashes, with 40 so far, has been in the Chesapeake division — Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Eastern Shore, Williamsburg, Franklin and Emporia.
There have been 32 crashes in the Fairfax division – Prince William, Loudoun, Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax.
In metro Richmond, Northern Neck and Tri-Cities combined, police have responded to 25 traffic crashes.
In the Fredericksburg, Culpeper, Warrenton, Harrisonburg, and Winchester area, police have responded to 22 traffic crashes.
At 5:28 a.m. Monday a tractor-trailer overturned on Interstate 81 at the 300 mile marker near the I-66 interchange in Frederick County.
The driver suffered minor injuries. The truck was loaded with cattle, which have broken free of the trailer and are wandering around the interstate, police said. Police and fire crews are on scene rounding up the cattle. Delays and road closures continue in this area.
In Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Staunton, Lynchburg, South Boston, South Hill police have responded to 13 crashes.
In Wytheville, Dublin, Galax, Bristol, Vansant, Wise police have responded to 14 crashes.
There have been 17 crashes in the Salem area, which includes Lexington, Clifton Forge, Roanoke, Blacksburg, Bedford, Martinsville and Danville.
Police asked drivers not to call 911 or #77 to find out about road conditions. These phone lines must remain clear for real emergencies. Call 511 for road conditions or click on http://www.511virginia.org.
Police asked people who have to travel, to please keep these safety tips in mind:
- Clear off all snow from your vehicle – windows, roof, trunk and lights
- Add extra time to reach travel destination
- Slow speed for road conditions
- Increase driving distances between vehicles for increased stopping distance
- Buckle up and don’t drive distracted
- MOVE OVER for all stopped emergency vehicles, highway vehicles and tow trucks.
