A combination of sleet , rain and snow covered the roads and highways of the New York City region with a thin sheet of ice Tuesday , causing widespread traffic delays and scores of accidents during the afternoon rush , police and traffic officials said .Many sections of the Long Island Expressway , the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn and Queens , and Sunrise Highway in Suffolk County were periodically closed while icy sections were sanded and salted .Major problems were also reported on the Cross Bronx Expressway .The most serious accident occurred on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway near Exit 3 in Seaford , N.Y. , where one motorist was hospitalized in critical condition after his car slid off the road and overturned ." It 's treacherous out there , and there 's lots of black ice , which is hard to see , " said Sgt.Edward Vanderhyde of the Nassau County highway patrol ." The roads in general are pretty icy and we 've received reports of a lot of minor accidents of the fender-bender variety , " he said ." Luckily , most of them are not serious . "The state police reported at least 50 accidents caused by icy conditions in Suffolk County , where traffic officials ordered various sections of the Sunrise Highway and the Long Island Expressway closed for brief periods while the pavement was sanded and salted ." It made for some traffic tie-ups , but it also made for safer roads , " said Officer Santo DiStefano , a spokesman for the Suffolk County police ." None of the closures really lasted very long , but we had to do it , because we were getting accidents all over the place . "The same icy conditions plagued the streets and highways in New York City as officials prepared for New Year 's Eve , fearful that the freezing temperatures and slippery roads would create extremely hazardous conditions , especially for those who drink and drive .Cars began sliding and bumping into one another shortly after 11 a.m. , according to Patrick Muldowney , a spokesman for the New York City Department of Transportation ." Reports of accidents have been coming in all day , including a five-car fender bender on a westbound lane of the 59th Street Bridge , " Muldowney said ." Fortunately there have been no serious injuries . "" Black ice has forced road closings all over the city , " he said ." For example , the Belt Parkway has had several scattered closings . "He said the roads were being reopened " as soon as the sanitation people can get in and throw some sand and salt down . "