Motor insurers brace themselves for a spate of claims after freezing conditions cause gridlock on UK roads.
Motor insurers are bracing themselves for a spate of claims after a day of freezing conditions and snowfall in most of the UK.
The Highway Agency urged motorists to drive only if necessary following a series of accidents on the road. One included an elderly motorist who died when his four-wheel-drive vehicle overturned in rural North Yorkshire.
The slippery conditions left traffic at a standstill, especially in the Home Counties, with lorries appearing to cause the most problems on the roads and motorways. One lorry jack-knifed on the M11 near junction 8 - leading to long delays for other motorists. While those using the A1, A13, A40, M4 and M1 all faced long delays due to difficult conditions as melting snow turned to ice.
In Scotland, heavy snow brought road closures, while areas of Lincolnshire were reported to be under five inches of snow. The AA reported gridlock in a number of towns in southern England, including Newbury.
The Met Office has predicted that the cold weather will continue today, and that temperatures will struggle to rise above 0C in many places.
