With another snowstorm in the books, it looks like drivers in St. Joseph and the surrounding areas are starting to adapt to the season’s poor road conditions and difficult driving. The number of car accidents from Thursday’s snowfall was lower than expected. This suggests that drivers in Missouri are rediscovering their winter driving abilities and making preparations for winter conditions.
Snowfall Hits St. Joseph
On the evening of Wednesday, January 4, 2017, and morning of Thursday, January 5, St. Joseph and the surrounding area got two inches of snowfall. The snow came as part of a band of winter storm that swept across the United States. This same winter storm left 10-15 feet of snow in the high mountains of California.
Surprisingly Few Car Accidents from Snow
However, despite the poor driving conditions, the Missouri Highway Patrol reported surprisingly few car accidents in the winter weather. While the winter weather advisory was in effect for the St. Joseph area between 6pm on Wednesday and 9am on Thursday, the Missouri Highway Patrol only worked nine car accidents. Only one person was hurt. The St. Joseph Police Department dealt with five other accidents between midnight Wednesday and 10am Thursday. Finally, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department reported four more accidents, with one injury.
Winter Conditions Not as Dangerous
Because of the frigid temperatures and lack of moisture in the air, the snow that came down in the storm was light and powdery. This not only made it easy for Missouri Department of Transportation crews to move, but also left little water on the roads to freeze in the cold. With less-slick conditions and easy snow removal, this storm proved easier to deal with than the last one.
The recent snowfall a few weeks ago, though, also might have served as a wake-up call to Missouri drivers.
“I think that last snow event got their attention,” Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Jake Angle said. “People are slowing down, being a lot more careful, so it hasn’t been a big problem so far.”
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
Winter weather is never a good thing to have to deal with when you’re driving. It can make getting even the shortest distances fraught with danger. However, by practicing safe driving habits and giving yourself extra time to get to your destination, you can minimize the odds of a serious car accident.
Unfortunately, not everyone is so careful.
If you get into a car crash with someone who was reckless or less willing to respect the safety of other drivers, you could find yourself dealing with severe injuries that you didn’t deserve. There is no reason why you should have to pay to recover from the injuries that someone else caused.
Hiring the personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office can be the best way to ensure you get the compensation that you need to make the full recovery that you deserve. Contact our law office online or at (816) 875-9373.