(NBC CHICAGO) — A winter storm that pounded the state of Illinois Saturday led to hundreds of crashes, state police said.
According to the latest data from Illinois State Police, more than 400 crashes left vehicles damaged on state roadways Saturday during the storm, which dumped more than 10 inches of snow in some locations and saw localized blowing and drifting of snow thanks to strong winds.
State police said at least 66 crashes left motorists or passengers injured, but they did not provide details on the severity of any of those injuries.
Finally, more than 300 motorists required roadside assistance during the storm, with most having spun into ditches or medians along area highways, according to state police data.
Residents had been asked to avoid travel when possible on Saturday as the storm produced snowfall rates of an inch or more per hour in some locations. Complicating matters later in the day were the gusty winds, which blew in excess of 40 miles per hour in many locations.
Some parts of the state also saw mixed precipitation as temperatures warmed to slightly above the freezing mark, with slick spots developing on roadways as the temperatures cooled again in the late evening hours.
