Snow Causes Crashes Throughout The Region

BOSTON (CBS) - Emergency personnel from across the Boston region were busy responding to crashes on slick, snow-covered roads on Saturday.

Methuen police responded to three crashes within about 300 yards of each other. All three crashes occurred around 8 p.m. westbound on Route 213.  The city's police chief went on Twitter Saturday night, asking drivers to stay off the roads if possible.

In Wellesley, an SUV crashed into a utility pole on Albion Road around 4:30 p.m. No injuries were reported.

When officers arrived, they found a utility pole on the hood of an SUV.

Over in Tyngsboro, police dealt with a similar scene when an SUV crashed into a utility pole, leaving wires hanging close to the ground.

Crashes in Auburn, Foxboro and Sturbridge were also reported.

The snow kept plow drivers busy, making travel conditions slow and, at times, hazardous on Massachusetts roads.

MassDOT deployed more than 2,000 crews across the state to clear the snow and treat the roads.

Authorities enforced a speed restriction of 40 mph on the Mass Pike in western and central Massachusetts, and also on Interstate 90 from the New York border to Millbury.

As dusk approached, the temperature dropped and things glazed up a bit. A WBZ-TV crew traveling along Route 1 and Interstate 495 saw at least one vehicle spin out.

Some drivers said roads were "pretty slippery" while others said the first snowfall of the season was nothing Massachusetts motorists can't handle.

Over in Weymouth, plow drivers like Dan Bleckley were out early, making sure they kept one step ahead of the wintry conditions.

"The gameplan is we try and maintain the properties, so nobody can slip and fall try to keep the ice and slippery patches down by salting and moving snow when necessary," he said. "Whenever snow accumulates we move the snow with the plow so everybody has a safe trip and no slip and falls."