COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Central Ohio drivers were in for a headache during the rush hour commute Tuesday morning.
It seemed to some NBC 4 viewers that the major cause of the gridlock traffic wasn't road conditions -- but rather the number of drivers on the roads and the speed at which they were traveling.
This question prompted NBC 4's Mikaela Hunt to ask: what is a generally safe speed to travel on highways during conditions like Tuesday morning's?
The Ohio State Highway Patrol would not provide a safe speed to travel, but urge drivers to travel at the speed at which they feel comfortable.
OSP said there were 17 crashes Tuesday morning -- but none of them were major, so they believe that cautious drivers most likely caused the majority of the traffic slowdown.
According to OSP officials, some drivers who are inexperienced with snow could be to blame as well. One brake light can back things up for miles, so drivers who feel the need to travel below the speed limit should get to the right hand lane and turn on their hazard lights.
Mark Bloom runs the Bloom School of Driving Dynamix in Columbus and recommends drivers maintain a reasonable speed, but not brake so much that it causes problems for hundreds of cars behind them.
"When you see, especially in these limited traction situations like we had this morning, a lot of people bumper to bumper, that's a recipe for disaster," Bloom said.
He suggests having the right tires to help drivers feel better about pushing through the 10 mph mark when roads are passable.
"If you want that little bit of confidence in these snowy conditions, winter tires are worth it," Bloom said.
Stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at stories@nbc4i.com.
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement