A 'perfect storm' of frozen roads and icy rain is leading to treacherous travel conditions in much of the UK as travel experts warn it is too cold for grit to work.
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Travel chaos is being predicted after the Met Office issued severe weather warnings for snow and ice for much of England.
Temperatures as low as -12C (10.4F) were recorded in Church Fenton, North Yorkshire on Tuesday, way below the -5C (23F) threshold at which grit stops being effective protection against ice.
'Our advice to drivers is that, even when a road has been gritted, do not expect it to be ice-free,' Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, said.
The problem of rain freezing on the ground is being compounded by grit and salt being washed away before the ice has cleared, and the situation shows no sign of abating with a Met Office level-three severe cold weather alert in place until Saturday.
Amber warnings for ice are in place for the north-west, north-east and Yorkshire and Humber meanwhile.
In Cumbria alone there have been 97 road accidents since 5am on Thursday due to the icy conditions.
'Rainfall overnight and into this morning has caused thick ice on the county's roads,' said a spokeswoman for Cumbria constabulary.
'Police are urging drivers to slow down, drive with extreme care and, if possible, delay journeys.'
Professor John Ashton, NHS Cumbria's director of public health, added: 'We are seeing some of the worst icy conditions in Cumbria for many years.
'Older people are particularly vulnerable to slips and falls and I would strongly encourage that they stay indoors until conditions improve. It is not worth taking the risk and ending up in hospital.'
A multiple-vehicle crash in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, meanwhile left several people trapped in their cars, although there were no reports of serious injuries.
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