The dusting of snow that coated Lynchburg-area roadways Tuesday morning was less impressive than the storms that came before — but it was enough to create problems on area roads.
Campbell County deputies responded to more weather-related wrecks Tuesday morning than during the storm that dropped seven inches on the area Friday.
Cars slid off roads, ran into ditches, or became stuck as a result of what deputies say was a bout of overconfidence by drivers regarding the capabilities of their vehicles and the condition of the roads.
“I am amazed at the people still running 65 miles per hour,” said Campbell County Sheriff Terry Gaddy. “It’s a major problem.”
The Lynchburg Police Department responded to 14 weather-related wrecks, two of which involved injuries, said Lt. Whit Clark.
There was also one crash where ice compounded the situation. A wreck on U.S. 501 between Boonsboro Road and Wiggington Road at about 10 a.m. shut down the roadway for a while as rescue workers pulled two people from an overturned vehicle.
Officer Bryant Nowlin of the Lynchburg Police Department said a Nissan Murano attempted to pass a Ford Explorer in a no-passing zone and didn’t make it. After sliding on a patch of ice, the Nissan struck a guardrail and overturned, injuring the driver and passenger, Nowlin said.
Drivers did not seem to be using as much care on the roadways, driving too fast for conditions, which led to wrecks and other problems on roads like U.S. 29 and U.S. 460 in Campbell County, said Capt. Cindy Caldwell of the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.
The barrage of snow has created two new challenges for drivers: large potholes forming due to the constant thawing and refreezing of the pavement, and pooled water from snow melt that can’t filter through blocked drains.
Law enforcement officers are encouraging people to slow down and increase the distance between their vehicle and others on the roadway.
Last weekend’s storm resulted in more than 5,000 calls to the Virginia State Police for incidents ranging from stranded cars to crashes. Tuesday, however, those calls were at a minimum, said State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller.
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