Deadly accidents reported in southern Ontario as storm pummels the region

Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 9:05 PM -

A powerful snow storm is making its way through southern Ontario, bringing traffic to a standstill in some communities.

"Non stop problems with spun out vehicles, vehicles into guardrails and vehicles into ditches," Beat the Traffic tweeted Wednesday afternoon.

"If you don't have to travel stay home."

The worst of the storm hit Wednesday afternoon. Conditions tapered somewhat for the evening commute, but snow and blowing snow will persist through the evening.

DEADLY CAR ACCIDENTS 

According to local media, one man in Oxford County was pronounced dead at the scene when his car collided with a tractor trailer early Wednesday morning. The driver of the tractor trailer was unharmed.

While the cause of the collision remains unknown, it was snowing at the time.

Elsewhere in the county, a portion of eastbound Highway 401 has been closed at Highway 403 to Drumbo Road following a multi-vehicle crash involving between 20 and 30 cars.

No serious injuries have been reported, but the roadway is expected to remain closed for several hours.

In Whitby, a Durham Region Transit bus and a pick-up truck collided during the morning hours, sending the bus into a ravine.

The 46-year-old driver of the truck was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Three passengers and a driver were on board the bus. According to police, they did not sustain any serious injuries.

Finally, in the Toronto area, a 61 year-old Markham woman was killed around 11 a.m. following a crash involving three vehicles.

York Regional Police are attributing the accident to the snowy conditions.

Roads around 14th avenue near ninth are expected to remain closed for several hours as authorities conduct an investigation.

BEAT THE TRAFFIC: How will your commute be affected? Rely on Beat the Traffic for real-time traffic updates that matter to you. Visit www.beatthetraffic.com and download the app on iTunes or Google Play and get there sooner!

Ontario Provincial Police has sent out several messages via Twitter, advising motorists to slow down and drive according to the conditions.

Motorists are being reminded to:

• Slow down
• Leave plenty of distance between other vehicles
• Wear a seat belt at all times
• Avoid unnecessary travel

Before you hit the road, make sure you:

• Have an ice scraper or snow brush in your vehicle to keep your windows and lights clear
• Top up your windshield washer fluid
• Keep your fuel tank at least half full to prevent condensation in your gas tank
• Have a fully-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle

Visit the Alerts section of the website to keep on top of watches and warnings across the country. You can read more about the system currently impacting southern Ontario here.