Elsewhere, a 16-year-old boy suffered what were described as life-threatening head injuries after falling off a toboggan while out sledging in Middlesbrough.
In another accident at Bicester today, a minibus taking tourists to a designer shopping outlet slid off the A41 leaving five people needing hospital treatment.
AA spokesman Gavin Hill-Smith said there were "real concerns" about motorists heading back to work en masse tomorrow after a relatively quiet weekend with average call-outs for its breakdown service despite the wintry conditions.
While in many parts of the country it will not be snowing, the falls over the weekend will have compacted, making for dangerous surfaces.
"Temperatures aren't expected to rise above freezing so ice is going to be a real hazard," said Mr Hill-Smith.
With little respite in the sub-zero conditions expected until at least the weekend, the temptation for some to venture out on the roads out of necessity may be too great.
While the Highways Agency was expected to keep motorways and major trunk roads clear, conditions were more likely to be difficult on smaller roads and in residential areas which had not been treated with grit.
"For a lot of people it's going to be a question of just getting to the main road," Mr Hill-Smith added.
He said: "I think it's going to be very busy tomorrow morning. A lot of people who didn't travel on Friday will have no choice but to travel tomorrow.
"Some of the surfaces are very slippery, and extremely treacherous, almost like ice rinks in places."
"People have to be sensible and allow extra time for their journeys. Unfortunately, there will be accidents."
A Highways Agency spokesman said its network of motorways and trunk roads was running well but drivers were urged to remain vigilant and think carefully about if they really needed to set out on journeys.
The M48 Severn bridge was closed but later reopened.
"The message to drivers is to remain vigilant and to drive according to the conditions and during the severe winter weather to check road conditions and the weather forecasts before they set out.
"If conditions are poor and driving not essential, we ask drivers to think about delaying until conditions improve."
Motorists were advised to leave extra time for journeys and also travel with a severe weather emergency kit including warm clothes, food, water, a torch and a spade.
The Met Office said much of the country would see 2-5cm of snow fall across the country today and tomorrow as a band of weather moved northwards.
There could be more snow in the south tomorrow. It was likely to be topped up on Tuesday with another band of wintry weather.
Met Office forecaster Tony Burgess said that today snow would move northwards to reach Yorkshire and the north east of England where it would continue to come down tomorrow – as well as in eastern Scotland.
High ground will see up to 15cm in those parts over the period, and up to 30cm in the Cairngorms.
Temperatures were again expected to struggle to climb above freezing during the day and plunge below 0C overnight.
Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be drier but still cold, with snow and ice remaining on the ground and little improvement until at least the weekend.
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