Winter Tips

Slow Down
Most snow or ice related accidents are caused by driving at speeds too fast for existing conditions.

Don't Crowd the Plow
Motorist should keep a safe distance between their vehicles and snowplows.  Plowing may result in a cloud of snow limiting visibility and/or may throw ice, rocks or salt.  Always watch for the unexpected.

Don't Let Children Play in Roadside Snowbanks
Even at low speeds snowplows throw large amounts of snow a great distance from the roadway.  This snow can make it difficult for the driver to see children.

Pile Snow to the Right
Snow plows operate by pushing snow to the right.  Piling snow to the right of your driveway and mailbox (as you face the road) will help reduce the amount of snow pushed into or in front of your driveway and mailbox.  Snow must be piled as to not obstruct motorists vision.

Salting and Sanding
Salt is used to rapidly melt ice and is applied as moderately as possible without presenting an unacceptable risk to the motoring public.

To avoid excessive use of salt, some road commissions mix sand and salt.  This mixture not only helps melt snow and ice, it provides motorist with additional traction.
Some road commissions moisten (pre-wetting) salt or salt/sand mixtures to allow faster ice melting in colder conditions.

Snow Removal
There is no magical amount of snowfall required before plowing begins.  Your road commission aims to have roads convenient for travel as early as possible following a snow event.

Heavily traveled county roads and problem areas are the first to be addressed.  Lower volume neighborhood and rural streets are plowed next.  Roads designated as "Seasonal Roads" are not maintained in the winter.

Your road commission designed its snowplow policies to provide the highest possible quality of service.  Unpredictable weather events and financial constraints make it impossible to make winter roads absolutely safe.