Winter Weather Creates Dangerous Road Conditions For Tulsa Drivers

The winter weather created some dangerous conditions on the roads Saturday.

Crews were out and standing the streets, but still, at one point, police were overwhelmed by accidents with injuries.

Accident after accident, Tulsa Police and Fire felt the brunt of the winter weather as it moved into Green Country.

"We've already worked multiple car collisions, and the danger on the roadway is just increasing as this goes along,” said Sergeant Jack Henley.

As the day moved through the afternoon conditions worsened.

"Bridges and overpasses are very slick right now," Henley stated.   

Sending police, fire, and EMSA to so many accidents with injuries during the time, they didn't think they would be able to respond to non-injury related wrecks, so they asked people involved in them "to just exchange information” because they were overwhelmed with injury accidents and other calls for service.

Late afternoon, the city of Tulsa dispatched a fleet of snowplow trucks to go out and put sand on the roadways in efforts to keep them from being slick.

As the night approached, the temperature dropped and the slick conditions eased, giving road crews a chance to catch up. 

While road conditions weren't as slick, the wind now played a new factor, gusting strong and blowing snow into drifts.

"Unless there is an emergency of some type where you absolutely, for the saving of life you need to be out, then, you don't need to be out,” said Henley.

Sergeant Henley says venturing out can only put you in harm's way, "or you are just going to present yourself as a hazard to the rest of the public and to yourself." 

Thankfully as nightfall came, there were fewer and fewer cars on the roads.