A flurry of crashes in one day shows late learning curve on winter driving

The dozen or so crashes occurred throughout the day.

ROCHESTER - Usually by this stage of the winter local motorists have "relearned" how to drive in snowy conditions, but if the number of accidents during Tuesday's on-again, off-again flurries are any indication, the dearth of snow in December and January may be having an impact now.

Tuesday's spate of accidents in the city numbered 12, far from a "typical" number police would respond to, Rochester Capt. Todd Pinkham said on Thursday.

The flurry of crashes and runoffs began around 7:40 a.m. and ended around 5:30 p.m., with a final report of an earlier South Main Street traffic light hit-and-run around 5:50 p.m.

"Most happened while the roads were a little snow covered," Pinkham added.

Luckily the only injury was to a Salmon Falls Road utility pole when a car slammed into it in the area of Autumn Street.

Another crash that could've been serious was when a car and bus with children on it collided on Brock Street around 3:30 p.m. None of the children were reported to have been hurt in the crash.