Drivers Slide off the Road | Video

Chris Williams | 11/3/2012

It was a slippery morning on the roads. A semi north of town was stuck on the side of Highway 2, causing traffic to come to a standstill. The tie up cost one driver valuable time.

"It will probably end up costing me about 1,000 dollars not being able to go pick up loads, it`s very frustrating," said Hot Shot driver Kyle Foster.

Another driver says he`s been here long enough to know this is what happens when the first snow comes.

"You`re going to run into that no matter where you`re at over here. There`s a lot of people who come in from all over the United States to work here. They`re not used to the snow and the ice," said oil field worker Alan McDonald.

When the roads are covered with snow, ice, or even mud, it`s easy for semis to get stuck, but there`s one easy way truckers say you can prevent that.

"I think it`s better safe than sorry, always. Throw them on, take the extra 20 minutes. If you get stuck up there you`re going to spend money on a tow truck, and 2-3 hours wait," said Truck Driver David Milligan.

The chains are able to grip the ice as the truck is going up the hill, and Milligan says they benefit everyone on the road.

"Always think about the other guy out here, if drivers did that more often then we probably wouldn`t have so many issues," Milligan added.

During the winter you can never be certain what is going to happen on the road, but there is one way drivers can get a basic idea of what is happening before they take off.

"If you have to travel be sure to check the 511, check the weather conditions," said Williams County Emergency Services Director Mike Hallesy

Motorists can call 511 and it will give them a road condition report, which would have been useful for Foster this morning.

"We`re just sitting here four hours, so it`s frustrating," Foster added.

The truck was eventually towed back onto the road.

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