Authorities are stressing the importance of slowing down on snow and ice-covered roads.

Black Hawk County sheriff's officials are urging motorists to take extra time and exercise caution when driving in winter conditions following an accident involving a deputy's patrol vehicle on Interstate 380/U.S. Highway 20 near Raymond Sunday morning.

Officials released a video of the accident on Monday (watch above). The video shows a marked patrol vehicle parked on the shoulder of the highway and deputies helping another driver whose car slid off the pavement and entered the ditch. That's when another vehicle went out of control and slammed into the deputy's car after narrowly missing another patrol car (not shown).

No one was injured in the mishap, authorities said.

According to Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson, deputies have responded to multiple accidents over the last few weeks. Thompson said many of the crashes were preventable. He attributed most of them to excessive speed in poor weather and road conditions.

"Our best advice is not to travel when the road conditions deteriorate," Thompson said. "If you must travel, we really need motorists to slow down.

The following are winter driving tips, offered by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

  • Check the weather forecast and road conditions before embarking on a trip. Check your local media, call 511, or go on-line for information. If conditions are expected to be less than ideal, you may want to postpone a discretionary trip or use more caution if the trip cannot be delayed.
  • Always maintain a reasonable speed and safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you. Winter road conditions often result in longer stopping distances and reduced visibility.
  • Drive below the posted speed limit when road conditions are less than ideal. Speed limits are intended for normal pavement conditions.
  • Turn on lights to see and be seen. Keep head and tail lights clear of snow. Avoid using cruise control in winter driving conditions. You need to be in control of your car when accelerating based on road conditions.
  • If your car is equipped with anti-lock brakes, understand how to use them and what to expect when they are used.
  • Don’t drive through “white out” conditions. Be patient, wait it out until conditions improve.
  • Be aware that ramps and bridges may freeze before other roadway segments.

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