Snowplow etiquette important for safety

So far this season, the Montana Department of Transportation has reported several of their snowplows have been struck by drivers who are following too closely.

Steve Felix, maintenance chief for the department, said in a recent interview that with these colder conditions, visibility at times is challenging.

“You can encounter a snowplow, especially on the Interstate, on either side of the road or in either lane and a lot of times visibility is not good behind those machines so please don’t drive into those snow clouds. If you can’t see, back off, give yourself plenty of room to stop if there is something in front of you.”

During the winter months, the Montana Department of Transportation removes snow from approximately 25,000 lane miles of highway. Around 75 of those miles are in Mineral County along Interstate 90. The drivers use “tow plows,” which allow them to plow up to 24 feet at a time. Though this is efficient, it also means the plows need more room to operate.

Plow drivers also have limited visibility, so drivers should not assume their vehicle is in view. Since these orange plows are large and move slower than highway speeds it can be difficult to judge the distance when approaching one and motorists should slow down immediately to avoid a collision.

The plow driver will pull over when it’s safe to do so and allow vehicles to pass, according to the Montana Department of Transportation. Drivers should also use the same courtesy for plow drivers as other vehicles and dim their headlights when passing at night.

In addition to removing snow, the plows are also spreading sand and de-icer. Traction sand is crushed aggregate extracted from gravel. It doesn’t melt the ice, but does provide temporary traction during a snowstorm. Unlike chemicals, sand doesn’t lose its performance as the temperature drops.

To help keep roads from becoming slick, chlorides maybe applied. They work like anti-freeze by lowering the freezing temperature of water and prevent the ice from forming a strong bond to the road. This includes magnesium chloride, which is a salt compound and is effective in temperatures above 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Sodium chloride may also be used. It is found in both liquid and solid form and works in temperatures above 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

With several more weeks of winter driving it’s important for drivers to remain cautious.

“Give them plenty of room; they will pull off as soon as they can to let traffic pass. But they do have to get their work done and they’re just trying to make the road safer for travelers,” Felix said.