Two school buses crash on UK roads as temperatures plummet
The Big Freeze has sent temperatures into the negative and left pavements dangerously icy across the UK.
The slippery road saw nine children injured following a crash between a school coach and a bus.
The collision near Sutton Seeds Roundabout, outside Reading in Berkshire, also injured the coach driver and adults in the other bus.
South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) said two people were taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital for further treatment.
Medics were still treating three children and three adults for their minor injuries at the scene.
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Roads were said to be very icy on the busy slip road, which was the site of another two-car collision on Wednesday morning.
The bus’ engine also burst into flames following the crash, with firefighters at the scene for two hours and minutes.
Another school bus also fell foul of the icy roads this morning when it crashed into a ditch in Kent.
The bus slipped on black ice before shooting nose-first down an opening off a road at Chilmington Green in Ashford.
Officers and paramedics rushed to the crash site but there were no reported injuries.
The current cold snap is preparing Britain for the arrival of Storm Goretti on Thursday.
The first named storm of the year will bring blizzards, strong wind, freezing rain, and even more dumps of heavy snow.
The weather hasn’t been pleasant already, though.
Monday into Tuesday night was the coldest of winter so far, with temperatures dropping below freezing throughout the UK. The coldest temperature recorded, -12.5°C, was in Marham in Norfolk.
Yellow warnings for snow and ice are in place across Scotland and northern England.
The Met Office stresses that roads are likely to be affected by ice, urging people to be wary of untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
How to drive safely on snow and icy roads
Traffic Scotland has helpfully put together some tips for taking on wintery conditions while driving.
The key thing to be aware of is that your stopping distance will be at least ten times higher in icy conditions compared to dry.
This means drivers need to keep back from the road user in front.
You should also avoid sudden actions that could cause loss of control, driving instead at a slow speed and in as high a gear as possible.
Drive particularly slowly on bends where loss of control is more likely, the agency recommends.
Before reaching a bend, brake progressively on the straight. Having slowed down, steer smoothly around the bend, avoiding sudden actions.
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