After a report saying 17 Ohio Department of Transportation (OHOT) snowplows have been involved in accidents this winter, ODOT says it is concerned.
“As for the 17 ODOT plows struck, certainly we’re concerned about that,” Matt Bruning, ODOT’s press secretary told The Ohio Star.
“Drivers need to remember that our plows will travel much slower than the speed limit when pushing snow off roadways,” he continued. “This is to limit the distance and speed at which the snow comes off the plow and to limit salt from scattering too far off the roadway where it does no good.”
Bruning also said drivers need to be sure to help out plow drivers when the weather makes driving hazardous.
A lot of the crashes that involve our plows are rear-end crashes. Drivers are either following our plows too closely or aren’t paying attention when the plows slow or stop. This is why we constantly remind drivers to give us room to work. The best thing people can do is stay home when it is snowing. Fewer vehicles means less of a risk of a crash. But we realize that some folks have to travel for work or they’re a first responder. For those folks, we simply ask that they plan ahead as much as possible and expect trips to take longer in winter conditions. When you plan for your trip to take longer to complete, you don’t get into a rush and drive too fast for the conditions.
But the crashes are not the only issue snow plows have had this winter.
Sunday, one plow kicked up sleet and ice on the Ohio Turnpike near Sandusky. That damaged 40 cars that were driving behind or around the plow.
For comment on that situation, Bruning directed The Star to the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC). The OTIC did not immediately return a comment request.
In Akron, during the extreme storm two weeks ago, some residents were snowed into their house for three days, as streets were not passible due to lack of plowing.
After three days, the city said the streets were finally clear.
“We have completed all of the first, second and third priority streets as of noon today (48 hours after the snow stopped with the most event accumulation Akron’s had in the past 25 years),” Stephanie Marsh, Communications and Media Supervisor for Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan told The Star at the time. “All streets are open and passable.”
She said the city has 52 snow plows that are available to clean up the mess after a winter storm.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Snow Plow” by Jeroen Kransen. CC BY-SA 2.0.
