February 22, 2013

The Kansas Highway Patrol today released information on activity and calls during the winter storm.

Dispatchers provided the following information on calls statewide. From midnight on February 21, 2013, through midnight on February 22, 2013 (24-hour reporting period), the Patrol worked:

· 15 injury crashes, which account for less than 1% of the Patrol’s total calls;

· 0 fatal crashes;

· 106 non-injury crashes;

· And 1,454 motorist assist-related calls (slide offs, tows, abandoned vehicles, stranded motorists, etc.)

KHP dispatchers answered 1,701 total calls.

“It’s really great news that the Patrol did not have to work any fatal crashes with this weather, and that 85% of our calls were motorist-assist related. With the adverse conditions, it easily could have been much worse,” KHP Public Information Officer Joshua Kellerman said. “We were all out working the road yesterday, and there really wasn’t that much traffic out. As a result of all of the information and warnings put out by emergency managers and others, the public was well-informed. As a result of that, they seemed to heed the warning, which helped contribute to less injuries from serious accidents due to the storm. The teamwork from everyone—our partners, the public— throughout this event was extraordinary.”

Today, the Patrol and others continue to patrol the roads, helping those in need of assistance, and watching out for stranded motorists. If you will be travelling today, the Patrol reminds you to call KDOT’s road hotline at 5-1-1 from any phone (if the quick extension doesn’t work, you can call 1-866-511-KDOT). You can also check out their website at www.kandrive.org for maps, camera views, and other important information. And if you are traveling and need help on a Kansas highway, you can call *47 (*HP) for KHP dispatch, or *582 (*KTA) for the Kansas Turnpike.