Many roadways around Birmingham are flowing with traffic now that temperatures have risen above freezing which is melting much of the snow left by Tuesday’s storm. The warmer weather means drivers who had to abandon their vehicles in the chaos are now retrieving them. But law enforcement officials are still warning motorist to be careful.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Randy Christian estimates there are still thousands of cars abandoned along roadways around the Birmingham area. While the snow is melting, there are still icy patches. Motorists should be careful.

<p<“They very easily could slide off the road and get stuck again or get in some kind of traffic accident,” Christian said. “So right now, you know, over confidence is our biggest concern.Christian says some vehicle have had to be moved and in some cases towed to make room for emergency responders. He says if you can’t locate a vehicle, contact law enforcement in your city. If you don’t have luck there, try county or state law enforcement.

The City of Leeds faced a wave of criticism after drivers there learned they could be charged for having their cars towed. But the private wrecker service that’s contracted with the city says it hasn’t charged anyone. A number of other jurisdictions, including Jefferson County, say it won’t cost motorists to recover towed vehicles there.

~ Andrew Yeager, January 30, 2014