Speed, Slick Roads Combine For Several Green Country Wrecks

Because of the slick roads, EMSA responded to 17 wrecks Wednesday. One of them injured a Tulsa police officer trying to help another driver.

Officers said people are still driving too fast in the slick conditions.

It doesn't matter if you have four-wheel drive; if you're driving too fast on ice and snow then hit your brakes, you're probably going to slide.

That's what officers said caused several wrecks Wednesday.

Ice on the interstates had cars slipping and sliding and News On 6 storm trackers rolled past half a dozen accidents Wednesday morning.

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One injured a Tulsa police officer when he pulled over in the median of the Broken Arrow Expressway near 129th East Avenue to help someone stranded in a truck when another car tried to speed by.

"Was unable to stop, slid on the ice and impacted his vehicle from the rear," said Tulsa Police Corporal Gary Bradley.

He helped the officer who now has a broken nose from the crash.

"It's deceptive to look at the roads. There was a very thin layer of ice on them, which really is hard to see," Bradley said.

Freezing rain and sleet also caused a seven-vehicle pile-up on Highway 169 at 21st Street, a rollover in Sand Springs, and another rollover off I-44 near 161st Street East.

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Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Aaron Kern said another factor in the accidents was speed.

"We're in a world of right now and instant gratification and that goes right with how you drive your car," he Kern said.

But, it was slowing down that put one driver in danger. News On 6 cameras caught him parking - on the Broken Arrow Expressway - to clean ice off his windshield.

That's not what Kern meant when asking drivers to lay off the gas.

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"Be paying attention. Use common sense," he said.

Troopers said if you don't have front-wheel drive, try to put your car in neutral then press on the brakes to stop.

They also suggested slowing to 30 or 40 miles an hour on highways rather than just lowering your speed by a few miles per hour.