GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – Tens of thousands of people are going on days without power.

• Each traffic light should be treated as a four way stop but in many cases drivers aren't even slowing down
• Duke spokesperson Jeff Brooks says the weather can be deceiving about the severity of the problem
• Down trees have to be removed before any power work can begin

Many are frustrated while waiting. Duke spokesperson Jeff Brooks says the weather can be deceiving about the severity of the problem.

"It's beautiful outside. A lot of people may not see damage in their neighborhood and they may be asking why is my power out? Well there is a lot of damage in the Triad, a lot of infrastructure down. That means poles, wires, and lines," Brooks said.

The trees knocked down by winds slow down the process. Multiple teams have to respond to those areas. The trees have to be removed before any power work can begin. Duke expects all power to be back by Tuesday night at the latest.

One problem a lack of power causes is out of service traffic lights. Each one should be treated as a four-way stop but in many cases drivers aren't even slowing down.

"Some people may just assume it's okay to roll through the intersection. Well if a car is coming in another direction assuming the same thing, then of course you're going to have a crash," Lieutenant James Golden said. The Greensboro Police Department has officers directing traffic at many of the intersections.

But when the police can't cover them all, drivers are expected to stop themselves.

"The inconvenience of taking five seconds to stop at an intersection and look to make sure it's clear is much less than the several hours you might spend waiting for a police report to be done or at the hospital being treated for an injury from a crash," Golden said.