RCMP, Environment Canada issue hazardous driving warnings as heavy snowfall hits northern B.C.
'What does surprise me ... is that we have to remind the public'
A snowfall warning continues this afternoon for much of Prince George, the Bulkley Valley and B.C.'s Peace Region with meteorologists forecasting up to 15 centimetres of snow by Wednesday evening.
Snow fell earlier in the year, but the recent dump covering the ground still seems to have caught some people by surprise.
"We've found that drivers are not driving to the road conditions," said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Craig Douglass.
Via <a href="https://twitter.com/ECCCWeatherBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ECCCWeatherBC</a>: Snowfall warning continues & extended for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PeaceBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PeaceBC</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy97N?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCHwy97N</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CityofPG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CityofPG</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smithers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Smithers</a> & the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kootenays?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kootenays</a>. Winter storm warning for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Whistler?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Whistler</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HoweSound?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HoweSound</a> & Wind Warning for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VictoriaBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VictoriaBC</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanIsle?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VanIsle</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YVR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YVR</a> dropped.<br>Complete forecasts here: <a href="https://t.co/K8YUeRkYGL">https://t.co/K8YUeRkYGL</a> <a href="https://t.co/48gGqONMfj">pic.twitter.com/48gGqONMfj</a>
—@DriveBCDouglass says they've received an increasing number of reports of minor fender benders and jackknifed logging trucks.
"What does surprise me, to be honest, is that we have to remind the public," he added.
Douglass wants people to shift into winter gear in order to stay safe on the roads:
- Leave early, slow down and drive to the road and weather conditions.
- See and be seen by keeping windows free of frost and snow and using headlights.
- Use proper equipment, including winter tires.
"We have seen a number of collisions that could have been avoided if these precautions were taken," Douglass said.
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