Snow causes minor accidents on messy Island roads

Islanders across Kings and Queens counties awoke to snow-covered and slippery roads on Wednesday — and police say that led to some fender benders. 

All plows available were out in both counties, though the government's private contracts usually don't start until the middle of the month.

Dispatchers said they made headway clearing the snow, but roads were snow-covered in Kings, and partly covered in Queens with icy patches.

Roads in the western part of the province remained bare. 

Flurry of crashes

With the changing weather, Charlottetown police are asking motorists to be mindful of black ice and winter-like road conditions.

Deputy Chief Sean Coombs said police were called to a first incident around 7:40 a.m. at Lower Malpeque Road and the Royalty Road. Another crash occurred at the same location 50 minutes later while police were on the scene, and several other cars slid off the road and went into the ditch.

Police also responded to another accident at the intersection of the Mount Edward Road and Towers Road just before 9:30 a.m. 

"It is still being investigated, but what we know now is that an anonymous witness called in the accident saying that a vehicle crossed into the oncoming lane and hit two other cars," Coombs said.

"It was determined that the driver who crossed into the other lane had not properly cleared off their car of snow and ice, causing them to cross lanes."

A 44-year-old woman is facing two charges under the Highway Traffic Act: one for not properly clearing her window and the other for crossing a solid line.

Police said there were no serious injuries in any of the crashes.

According to Environment Canada, the greatest historical snowfall on a Prince Edward Island Nov. 4 was 1.6 centimetres in 2011, contrasted with a record high of 21 C degrees in 1982.

Roads in the western part of the province remained bare. 

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