It happens like clockwork, though it’s not tied to a specific date. The arrival of fall in Juneau is usually marked by drivers still stuck in summer driving mode – caught off-guard by icy road conditions.
Juneau Police Officer Chris Gifford says there were as many as half a dozen accidents around town during this morning’s slippery commute.
“The Lena [Point] area there was three different accidents all right in a little stretch of road. So that area had three accidents and the Norway Point area had two,” says Gifford.
One driver was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. His 1990 Toyota 4-Runner was heavily damaged after it left the roadway on Glacier Highway near Lena Loop Road. Twenty-nine-year old Matthew Armstrong was cited for careless driving.
Gifford has some winter driving tips for motorists: “Give yourself extra time to get to your destination, put extra distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. And make sure your windshield and other windows are clear before getting into your car to drive.”
Low temperatures are supposed to dip into the 20s tonight (Wednesday) and Thursday, with highs in the 30s. There’s a chance of the first snow at sea level this season on Friday, though warmer temperatures are expected over the weekend.
