Steamboat Pilot & Today

Three days of rain, snow and freezing temperatures made Routt County a dangerous place to drive Friday.

Law enforcement officials said dozens of accidents were reported late Thursday and throughout the day and evening Friday. No serious injuries were reported.

Routt County Sheriff John Warner said the six the accidents his deputies responded to involved drivers who drove off roads in whiteout conditions or who lost control of their vehicles on icy roads and slid into ditches and embankments. Most of the accidents could have been prevented, he said.

"We can attribute every accident the last few hours and days to people driving too fast for the conditions," he said.

Warner said deputies responded to reports of about six accidents by midday Friday. He expected his officers to respond to more accidents as slushy, wet roads began to freeze at about 4 p.m. Friday.

Warner advised drivers to be cautious and smart.

"People need to be leaving 10 minutes early, driving slowly and remembering to relax," he said.

Colorado State Patrol Trooper Rick Kaspar said Warner's reports paralleled the accidents he and other troopers responded to Friday.

"We had a few vehicles off the road, several spin-outs on (Rabbit Ears Pass) and a few minor accidents around the county," he said.

Kaspar said none of the accidents or calls he responded to involved injuries.

"I haven't had a crash yet in Routt County with any injuries," he said late Friday afternoon.

Kaspar said drivers faced whiteout conditions for periods Friday because of the heavy bouts of snow.

Steamboat Springs police Sgt. Nick Bosick said he was busy with accident calls for much of Friday afternoon, but he didn't expect many more calls Friday night.

Like Warner, Bosick said most of the accidents the police department responded to could have been prevented by slower and more cautious driving.