LAWTON Okla_ The roads have
cleared up drastically over the last few hours, but early Wednesday, the snow
and ice were giving drivers a run for their money.
Tow truck operators and Oklahoma State Troopers spent the afternoon
locating abandoned vehicles to make sure there weren't any people in them and
impounding them. Many crews and troopers are focusing on the roads outside of
city limits that are less traveled.
Most back roads
are posing the biggest problem. With less traffic, the snow and ice build up
will stick around longer than a road that's frequented by drivers and road
crews.
Just about a
mile south of Coombs and Flowermound in Lawton
tow truck operator William Whan could be spotted hooking up another tow truck.
"I was just
coming down this way earlier to get somebody off the road down here, and I saw
my buddy's truck. I just thought I'd pull it to his house for him."
Whan said this
proves that every vehicle is fair game when it comes to snow drifts and black
ice. Whan said his night had been long. He rescued 7 vehicles himself.
"I've been
out since last night about 5:00, and I haven't been home since."
He said every
snow storm is the same.
"They're sliding,
driving off the side of the road, and driving down roads they shouldn't be
on."
Oklahoma State
Trooper Tyrone Dixon agreed. He has seen several abandoned vehicles.
"Tracks
indicate to me that he was driving too fast, departed the road way to the
right, went through a farmers fence, into a field, and apparently tried to
leave," Dixon said. "We just received a report, so we're going to impound the
vehicle until we have driver information on him."
Dixon said this
scene is all too familiar. Drivers get stuck and leave their cars. This is a
bad move, because your car's fate lies in the hands of the authorities or the
property owner where you wound up.
"You are
required by law to notify law enforcement in the event that you are involved in
any type of motor vehicle collision," Dixon
said, "Especially when there's property damage involved."
Dixon said the
majority of these accidents could have been avoided, but drivers become
over-confident.
"Motorists
are refusing to slow down. They're driving at speeds as if the road ways
weren't covered in ice and snow."
The roads cleared
up tremendously by Wednesday, but authorities encourage drivers to pay close
attention to less-frequented back roads and remember that anything that has
melted and is now liquid, will surely freeze and make the roads dangerous
again.
