Please stay home! Dangers are increasing in the Wichita area as weather officials issue a warning

Accidents are increasing in the Wichita area as roads become icy, and road conditions are expected to worsen.

The National Weather Service in Wichita is warning drivers to stay home and the Wichita Police Department has released its emergency crash reporting system, which allows people involved in non-injury crashes where vehicles are still in motion to exchange information and report crashes later. at the police station.

“If you can stay at home, we recommend that you do,” WPD said on Facebook. “If you must be outside, please allow extra time and distance to ensure you arrive safely. Please be considerate of emergency responders as they try to navigate weather and roads to answer your service calls.”

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office also used its emergency reporting system for the county’s disasters.

Wichita started seeing the cold around 7 a.m. Saturday.

“We can’t stress this enough, law enforcement is working multiple accidents all over Wichita, please stay home!” NWS of Wichita said this on social media at 9:14 am

NWS also shared video of an 18-wheeler that was on the side of I-135 in Wichita.

Wichita is expected to experience a wintry mix throughout Saturday through Sunday. Wichita is forecast to see between one and a half to one quarter of snow.

The forecast is for snow around 9 a.m. Sunday. The forecast is for Wichita to receive two to six inches of snow. Nine to 16 inches are forecast for Salina.

Traffic conditions, as of noon Saturday, show many highways across the region have already been affected by the winter weather. The Kansas Department of Transportation said it will not be able to repair roads before the storm in the Wichita area because the forecast calls for rain, which will flood the tree.

But it’s not just highways that cause problems. The driver of the tanker suffered minor injuries after crashing into a bridge on MacArthur Road near South 343rd Street West, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said at 11:40 a.m.

Below zero temperatures are also in the forecast for the Wichita area Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Drivers involved in accidents within Wichita who meet EARP criteria can exchange information and make a report at a police station from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Here are the sub-channels:

Patrol West, 661 N. Elder

Patrol South, 211 E. Pawnee

Patrol East, 350 S, Edgemoor

Patrol North, 3015 E. 21st St.

For accidents that are not serious and not driven in the county, that may fall under the jurisdiction of the sheriff’s office, exchange information and call the sheriff’s office at 316-660-3760 planning to complete the report.

A winter storm is possible in Wichita this weekend. Here’s how to avoid freezing pipes