NC Highway Patrol reports 'significant increase' in crashes due to slick road conditions

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Roads across central and eastern North Carolina are expected to remain slick going into Sunday morning.

Temperatures will drop Saturday night and likely cause snow that has melted Saturday to refreeze overnight.

The winter storm that moved through Friday evening and into Saturday morning has moved out, but it left freezing temperatures and slick conditions in its wake.

Christopher Knox with North Carolina State Highway Patrol said he did not have official crash numbers, but he expected to see a "significant increase" from the typical overnight report.

He said the worst places were bridges and overpasses, especially farther east and south where the precipitation that fell was more of a wintry mix than pure snow.

Knox said the good news is it could have been worse. Because the system moved in Friday night, instead of during a busy commute time, fewer people were on the roads anyway.

He continued by advising people to stay home Saturday. He said anyone who had to travel should give themselves extra time, so they can go slowly and give other drivers plenty of room.

The NCDOT also asked people to stay off the roads and be patient as it will take time for state transportation crews and Mother Nature to clear roads of the snow and ice.

"People should not attempt to drive in these conditions," said State Transportation Secretary J. Eric Boyette. "Our crews are working around the clock to treat and clear roads as quickly as possible and we need everyone else to do their part and stay off the roads."

Some interstates, primary roads, and many secondary roads are covered in snow and ice and are hazardous for travel from the Triangle to the coast as well as in parts of the Triad and the Charlotte area.

NCDOT crews are working to clear interstates first and four-lane primary roads, then plan to start clearing secondary roads all weekend into Monday.

"Everyone who was in the path of this storm should stay home," said N.C. Department of Transportation Chief Operating Officer Beau Memory. "Temperatures are not going to get much above freezing Saturday, and any thawing that occurs will refreeze overnight."

Frigid temperatures will leave many roads and bridges icy Saturday. Water on roads will refreeze overnight and form as black ice.

Several of the state's coastal ferry routes were temporarily suspended because of high winds and icy road conditions.

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