The winter of 2012 was pretty tame, but residents of north central Ohio are now preparing for a blizzard that is expected to roll through the area. Road crews are out in full force trying to get the roads prepared in the hopes of reducing motor vehicle accidents.

Residents of the area have not seen a storm like this in a while and the state highway patrol is concerned that drivers tend to forget how to drive in challenging weather conditions. Many accidents are caused by excess speed for the conditions or not anticipating that it may be hard to stop at intersections.

Before noon Wednesday, Crawford County was under a Level 1 Snow Emergency, which means that rural roads were hazardous for driving with blowing and drifting snow. The state patrol announced that there was a rollover crash on U.S. 23 near Ohio 199, but there were no serious injuries. There have been minor traffic accidents, but no fatalities and officials are recommending that drivers stay off the roads unless it's necessary to be out on the roads.

Mother Nature can play a role in motor vehicle accidents, but if you have been involved in an accident because of the possible negligence of another driver, you should speak to an attorney that specializes in this. They can review your case, work with the insurance company and they understand the stress involved if you are missing work, can't pay your bills or having mounting medical expenses. An attorney will give you options and a reason to hope that things will get better.

Source: Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, "Residents prepare for blizzard," Dec. 2, 2012