Maryland motorists who slowed down avoided hazardous situations Sunday and Monday, while others spun out of control during the first measurable snowfall.

In Howard County, police responded to a crash every two to five minutes between 2 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday, said Pfc. Jennifer Reidy. The grand total of calls: 120.

“If motorists have not prepared their vehicles for this winter due to the unseasonably warm weather we have experienced, this is definitely time to do so,” said Ragina C. Averella, manager of public and government affairs for the American Automobile Association of the Mid-Atlantic. “Preventive maintenance measures taken now can increase your chances of saving time, money and a great deal of frustration in the future.”

A crash on Interstate 395 North in Baltimore City sent one person to Shock Trauma complaining of neck and back pain and snarled downtown traffic for about 50 minutes around noon Monday while authorities worked to clear the scene.

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A 2000 International truck collided with a 2003 Toyota Corolla driven by a 30-year-old Danbury, Conn., woman at 11:32 a.m. Monday, causing the car to overturn.

It was unclear whether icy road conditions contributed to the crash, but the woman’s injuries appeared to be minor, said Cpl. Jonathan Green, of the Maryland Transportation Authority.

The state sent several hundred workers in trucks to salt and plow the roads Sunday night in preparation for Monday morning’s rush-hour traffic, said Kellie Boulware, a spokeswoman from the State Highway Administration.

But in some areas, the storm was merely a nuisance, causing minor wrecks and traffic delays. In Anne Arundel County, from 3 p.m. Sunday throughout the night, the fire department responded to about 25 motor vehicle crashes, which is slightly more than average.

In Westminster, the police department reported three minor crashes after the snow started to fall Sunday, and in Annapolis only one weather-related crash was reported to police.

Road conditions could be hazardous today, as fog and black ice is expected in areas west of the Eastern Shore until temperatures climb above freezing, according to the National Weather Service.

Today’s high should reach into the low 40s. A chance of flurries returns to the forecast Wednesday.

“We’re going to keep a few skeleton crews out this evening to respond to calls we may receive about icy areas,” Boulware said.

Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Baltimore County Police Department could not provide exact figures on crashes, while Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore City Police Department did not respond.

kvorce@baltimoreexaminer.com