Early Monday morning proved to be a slick commute for drivers in the Ohio Valley as freezing rain and low temperatures caused icy roads and resulted in numerous crashes.


Salt trucks loaded up and hit the pavement to help drivers get a bit more traction.

"The temperature is more in our favor tonight. With the temperatures being around 32, the salt worked a lot better. The ground being cold created a slush, and the drivers still had to plow that off the road," said John Petrisko, District 11 transportation manager with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

ODOT crews kept up with the rate of freezing rain and slush overnight, but the conditions caused problems in some counties.

In Hancock County, deputies responded to a rollover crash about 6:30 a.m. on Turkey Foot Road off Wiley Ridge. Luckily, there were no injuries, officials said. The New Philadelphia Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers dealt with half a dozen minor crashes along I-77 and in the Sugar Creek area. Carroll County authorities didn't catch a break either. Two drivers slid off the roads and took out backyard swimming pools, and one tractor-trailer on Salineville Road struck a pole, dispatchers said.

Officials are watching the roller coaster weather coming this week very closely as temperatures are expected to approach the teens again.

"The only other thing we can do if the temperatures get that low is apply the calcium to the salt, and that will give us a melting temperature lower than. It will go down to about 20 (degrees)," said Petrisko.

Authorities also said drivers should be cautious of little ponds in the roads from melted snow and ice as it increases the risk of hydroplaning.

For complete Severe Weather Team 9 coverage, visit our weather section.