 Andrea Kowalski couldn't believe Calgary road conditions as the snow turned to ice causing a seven car smash up, Tuesday, October 13, 2009. (Sun Media/Darren Makowichuk)
|
CALGARY -- The first major snowfall of the season resulted in one fatal collision, while hundreds of out-of-control motorists crashed on icy roads.
A 20-year-old High River woman was killed instantly yesterday morning after crossing the median and slamming into an oncoming semi truck on the southeastern outskirts of the city.
The woman was driving a Ford Ranger southbound on Hwy. 2, just past Dunbow Rd., when the crash happened, said Okotoks RCMP Const. Jason Wells.
"Either a result of driver error or road conditions, or a combination," he said, adding alcohol wasn't a factor.
The semi-truck driver, in his 30s, was taken to Foothills with non-life-threatening injuries, said Wells.
Images: West walloped by winter
Winter's cameo in Calgary dumped 4 cm of snow.
More than 200 crashes were reported to police before 11:30 a.m. and by late afternoon the number of icy collisions rose to 350.
EMS spokesman Adam Loria said between 6 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., paramedics were called to 40 of those crashes -- well above the four they would be called to in the same time-frame on a typical day.
"We've been responding to three-, four-, five-car pileups," he said, adding none caused serious injuries.
"It's just a matter of people not leaving enough stopping distance -- you should be leaving five to six seconds."
Are Canadian drivers getting worse?
The city's roads department sent out a full fleet of equipment and staff about 4 a.m. to start sanding the streets.
Priority 1 routes, which carry more than 20,000 vehicles per day and include Glenmore Tr. and Macleod Tr., were handled first and Priority 2 routes, which carry 5,000 to 19,999 vehicles per day were tackled next.
Sean Somers, a roads department spokesman, said the city monitored the weather, road temperatures and traffic situations through the night and was prepared for the snow.
As for whether the department is also preparing itself for a flood of complaints about the lack of snow removal in residential areas similar to last year's, Somers said side streets are still not part of the city's mandate.
"We're adhering to the city council policy in place," he said.
Environment Canada is forecasting a 60% chance of snow today, but the weather is expected to clear up tomorrow.
JENNA.MCMURRAY@SUNMEDIA.CA
