New Jersey State Police troopers were inundated with car crashes and calls for roadside assistance Thursday as a blizzard blanketed the entire state.
With temperatures expected to plunge and winds whipping the accumulated snow, police were preparing Thursday evening for even more trouble on the road, said Sgt. Jeff Flynn, a State Police spokesman.
As of 5 p.m. Thursday, troopers had responded to 348 crashes and 783 calls for motorist aid, which ranged from flat tires to breakdowns.
But the number one culprit?
"A lot of spinouts," Flynn said. "That's probably the biggest obstacle of the day: Cars traveling too fast for the conditions."
Dangerous deep freeze on the way
State Police shared images of snow-swept highways on their Facebook page throughout the day, often with the hashtag #SlowYourRoll, encouraging drivers who couldn't manage to stay off the roads to reduce their speed.
NJSP has responded to 348 MV crashes & 783 motorist aids in SP patrolled areas since midnight. Aids can be anything from spinouts, flat tires, mechanical breakdowns, etc.#alert #BOMBCYLONE #snowday2018 pic.twitter.com/E7T8ukxRZy
-- NJSP - State Police (@NJSP) January 4, 2018
They included a picture of troopers from the Bordentown station responding to the scene of a wayward Shop Rite tractor-trailer, which slid off the slush-covered highway.
Forecasts show temperatures well below freezing through the weekend, and Flynn said State Police are preparing to respond to snow drifts -- banks of snow piled up by the whipping winds -- which can quickly re-cover roads after the plows have passed.
"No matter how well the crews are working on those roads, when that snow drift is on the road in front of you and you hit it, it can be hazardous," he said.
S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.