HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — Virginians are encouraged to avoid travel to allow the Virginia Department of Transportation and other emergency crews room to work on the roads after snow covered the Commonwealth today.
Statewide, since midnight, there have been 250 crashes (this is as of 4 p.m. Wednesday).  Twenty-three crashes have had reported injuries.   In Virginia State Police’s Appomattox Division (covering central/western Virginia, including South Boston, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Staunton) there have been sixty crashes, nine of which had reported injuries.
At approximately 2:12 p.m., there was a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 85 southbound in Mecklenburg County at the five mile-marker. There have been multiple crashes along Interstate 85 this afternoon.
There have been no fatal crashes in this storm.
If you have to travel, drivers are reminded to do the following:
  • Use headlights. Increasing your visibility helps you to avoid slick and dangerous spots on the road, as well as helps other drivers see you better.
  • Slow your speed. Though state police works closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to identify problem areas on Virginia’s highways during a winter storm, drivers still must drive for conditions. Slowing your speed gives you more time to safely react and avoid a crash. Drive your vehicle based on your ability to properly maintain control of your vehicle.
  • Don’t tailgate. You need increased stopping distance on slick road surfaces. Give yourself more space between vehicles traveling ahead of you to avoid rear end collisions.
  • Buckle Up. Most crashes that occur during winter weather are caused by vehicles sliding into guardrails, off the road or other vehicles. Wearing your seat belt protects you from being thrown around the inside of your vehicle and suffering serious injury in a crash.
  • Check Your Vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is in good working order for the conditions. Fill up the tank in advance. Check windshield wipers, windshield wiper fluid, tire tread, battery life, etc.
  • Don’t leave home without a window scraper, blanket, bottled water, snack, cell phone charger and flashlight.
For the latest in road conditions and updates, please call 511 on a cell phone or go online to the VDOT Virginia Traffic Information Website at https://511.vdot.virginia.gov.
Virginians are advised to only call 911 or #77 on a cell phone in case of emergency. It is essential to keep emergency dispatch lines open for those in serious need of police, fire or medical response.