A winter storm that hit the area Tuesday night into Wednesday morning left local schools closed and police out in full force, all of whom were thankful they had no major incidents to report.
As of Wednesday morning, the Cranbury Police had no reports of accidents and only one incident of a disabled vehicle.
”Last night was quiet; people were driving carefully,” said Cranbury Police Chief Ed Kahler on Wednesday morning. “People are being very cautious.”
Cranbury’s department held over one officer from its midnight shift to add to its full complement of patrols with each member poised to respond at a moment’s notice to any possible emergency, he said. Jamesburg, which also was pummeled with the same blustery weather, had no incidents to report as of Wednesday afternoon, said Police Chief Martin Horvath.
He attributed the “quiet and routine” day to school closures and a lack of traffic.
”There’s always a noticeable difference in rush hour during storms,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “We didn’t have to worry about pedestrians because of the school closure. The storm definitely slows down the commuter traffic (too).”
Another helpful factor that may have played into keeping Wednesday an incident-free day was the local road crews’ efforts to maintain clear and passable roadways, he said.
Early in the morning, residents could see these crews plowing through the snow and salting and sanding walkways and roadways, he said.
Since most of Jamesburg’s major thoroughfares are county roads and handled by the county’s crews, Chief Horvath said it lightens the load for the borough’s public works employees, who can better concentrate on keeping secondary roads safe for residents.
”Whenever we can go a day in any kind of snowstorm, where there’s no incidents, we’re absolutely fortunate,” he said.
Monroe Township had a similar story. Not only were there no accidents to report, but Monroe Police spokesman Detective Robert Bennett said the department has had a fairly safe track record this year.
”It wasn’t that big of a storm,” he said. “We’ve only had snow twice this year, and it’s been relatively uneventful and quiet.”
Detective Bennett also said the local area has been fortunate with the timing of these recent storms.
”It’s not necessarily the amount of snow that falls,” he said. “The timing of a storm makes a big difference, too. With the storms that hit at noon, those are the storms that cause a lot of problems.”
But even as the rain began to wash away the wintry mix that had fallen in yards and along sidewalks Wednesday afternoon, many local law enforcement representatives said the real danger can come after the sun sets as the likelihood for a weather-related incident increases.
The night’s dropping temperatures can create a deadly cocktail, to include icy roads and weighted-down power lines and tree branches, Chief Kahler said.
Chief Kahler said he has one piece of advice for motorists who decide to brave the icy conditions.
”Just plan on going 25 (mph) — no more no less, and you’ll get there safe,” he said. “It’s the cautious driver that will get to his destination rather than someone driving a big truck.”
If someone should find themselves sliding on the road, Chief Kahler suggested a driver take his or her foot off the accelerator and avoid slamming on the brakes.
He also said if the need to steer out of a situation exists, make slight adjustments and don’t overcorrect and, as a last resort, pump the brake to slow down or come to a stop.

