For drivers that must be out in snowy conditions, the Ohio Department of Transportation is asking motorists to keep their distance from plows trying to clear the roads.
Nine ODOT plow trucks have been hit in the past two weeks, according to Matt Bruning, the department’s press secretary. Bruning says last year eight trucks were struck.
“When you hit a snowplow, you take that plow out of service,” Bruning said. “That means they are not out there moving snow, they are not treating the roadways and there is a ripple effect to that because they have to adjust other routes nearby to cover the route that has now been impacted directly.”
Further delays are caused if an ODOT vehicle needs repairs, or if there is an investigation into a crash involving a plow or injuries. This could sideline operations for hours.
“That gives that snow that’s falling continually more time to accumulate on the roadways,” Bruning said. “The reason we ask people to give our plows and our crews plenty of room to work isn’t just for our safety, or the safety of the motorist driving near the plow, it’s for the safety of every motorist on the roadway.”
Bruning says if an ODOT vehicle is deemed not at fault during a crash, they will seek damages from the motorist found liable, which in most cases is handled by insurance, and taxpayers do not have to foot the bill.
Plow routes normally span about one to two hours. Plows try to clear the roadways within two hours following a snow event, a goal the department achieved 98% of the time last year, according to ODOT.
But during the heaviest snow, the expectations are different.
“Our goal during the storms is passable roads, not perfect roads, so you are not going to see bare pavement,” Bruning said. “You are not going to be able to go highway speed or the regular speed limit especially during the snow.”
