An early winter storm is dumping snow on multiple states across the country. The North Carolina Department of Transportation assures drivers that the roads are clear and safe to navigate. But you might want to take that status with a grain of salt. An NCDOT truck actually flipped before it could salt the roads in Candler.

A rough job in bitter weather

First and foremost, road crews have a tough gig. During storms like these, drivers often punch in before dawn. They must plow the roads and lay down salt before the pavement warms to prevent dangerous ice from forming under commuters’ tires.

Secondly, professionals such as the NCDOT truck driver in Candler are some of the best on the road, each earning and maintaining a commercial driver’s license. But the Candler road in question was already icing up. Even though the truck had proper tire chains installed, the pro behind the wheel couldn’t keep it out of the ditch.

A slippery situation

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol says the truck not only lost traction but began to slide backward on the roadway it was supposed to be plowing and salting. It careened into the ditch and flipped onto its side, damaging a power pole and a fire hydrant. The result was a well-seasoned roadway.

The good news is the driver was not hurt. A Facebook user even reported that when a tow truck arrived, the driver leapt into action to help hook up the NCDOT truck and tip it upright.

The commenter added, “He was trying to go up Oak Hill, looked like when the truck slowed down while changing gears he lost momentum and it decided it wanted to go the other way on the ice.” But not everyone agrees. The NCSHP got a little salty about the crash and cited the truck driver for failing to maintain lane control.