In Ukraine, against the backdrop of worsening weather conditions under the influence of an active cyclone, 377 road accidents have already occurred since the beginning of the day, 87 of them in Kyiv. Short-term traffic complications are arising across the country, with particular attention paid to Kyiv, Odesa, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Lviv, and other regions, reported Oleksiy Biloshitsky, First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Development on Monday, writes UNN.
Road accident rate
According to Biloshitsky, "since the beginning of the day, as of 11:00, the 102/112 emergency line received reports of road accidents:
- 377 calls about road accidents across Ukraine, of which 33 calls were about road accidents with casualties;
- 87 calls in Kyiv, 3 of which were road accidents with casualties."
"Difficult weather conditions, precipitation, and black ice increase the risk of getting into a road accident. Be extremely careful, follow traffic rules, and take care of yourselves," Biloshitsky emphasized on social media.
According to him, despite the difficult weather conditions, patrol officers are regulating traffic on snowy road sections, helping drivers whose cars are stuck in snow traps, and coordinating the work of emergency services.
Traffic conditions in Ukraine
According to the Restoration Agency, weather conditions in Ukraine have sharply deteriorated under the influence of an active cyclone. Western and northern regions are experiencing stormy winds, heavy snow, blizzards, black ice, and snowdrifts.
As of the morning of February 16, moderate, in places heavy snow and gusty winds are observed in Kyiv, Lviv, Sumy, Odesa, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, and Chernihiv regions, rain in eastern regions (Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk), and fog in Zaporizhzhia region.
Snow is present on mountain passes in the Lviv region. The road surface is wet, and snow-covered in areas with precipitation.
"The road surface of state-important roads in most regions is wet, in western and northern regions it is snow-covered, and in Rivne region there is black ice," road workers noted.
Road organizations, as indicated, are continuously clearing the carriageway and treating roads, bridges, descents, and ascents with anti-icing materials.
"We ensure passage on state-important roads and traffic safety," the Ministry of Development stated.
"We pay special attention to areas where short-term traffic complications arise, particularly in Kyiv, Odesa, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Lviv, and other regions. We monitor the situation 24/7 and maintain constant communication with the regions," the Ministry of Development reported.
A storm warning has been issued for today: significant snow in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions at night; significant wet snow and rain in Sumy, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions. Level I danger, yellow. In Ukraine, except for western regions, wind gusts of 15–20 m/s are expected. Blizzards are expected in most northern and Vinnytsia regions at night and in the morning. Level I danger, yellow.
"Weather conditions can lead to complications in the work of energy, construction, and utility enterprises, disruption of public life, and traffic," road workers emphasized.