Drivers on Alberta highways should slow down when plows are out.
That’s the message from Volker Stevin Highways safety manager after snow plows serving southern Alberta have been hit 13 times since October – an average of more than one a week.
“There have been a lot of bad ones this week where cars have come at full speed, hit our trucks from behind and caused serious damage, where the trucks actually sit for quite some time,” Warren Stasiuk told Global News.
Stasiuk said delays in the supply chain for the specialized equipment can lead to plows being sidelined for weeks at a time, directly affecting how quickly snow can be cleared from county highways.
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He said drivers often mistake the whirlwind of snow the plows create for semi-trucks or simply inclement weather — mistakes that can cost thousands of dollars.
“The problems really start when the weather is cold: the snow kind of just sits in the air. If there’s no wind blowing it to the left or right, it just floats there and people just think it’s maybe a semi down the road, and they’ll just pull up and then suddenly we’re going slow and they’ve hit,” Stasiuk said.
Rear ends are the most common type of collision, he said, with people hitting plow blades extending from the sides of plows the second most common.
Vehicles hitting snow plows are not limited to provincial highways.
City of Calgary snowplow operators have had some “close calls,” particularly when a fleet of plows stacks up to drive in a diagonal line, known as “echelon plowing.”
“Most of the time we’ve had the close calls is when we’re trying to do our commutes where we’re plowing and trying to (clear snow) from curb to curb,” said Jim Fraser with the city. “Drivers lack a little patience and they try to sneak in between our drivers and our operators, and get through and get to their destination a little bit faster.”
But Fraser said he’s seen plenty of instances of managers being patient, giving teams the space and time to do their jobs.
On Nov. 1, the provincial government launched a year-long pilot to add blue signal lights, similar to those on police vehicles, to the top of snow plows for improved visibility. Snow plows already operate with reflective decals, flashing amber and red lights, and bright work lights.
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Volker Stevin takes part in the pilot and equips part of their vehicles with the blue lights. Stasiuk said he has seen results.
“None of our trucks that were hit had their blue lights on. Does it work? Can be.”
Provincial laws require drivers to reduce their speed to 60 km/h or the posted limit, whichever is slower, when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks that are stopped with their lights flashing.
The Calgary Police Service is advising drivers to watch for flashing lights on vehicles, a warning sign of a potential problem ahead.
“Reduce speed, change lanes carefully if necessary and be prepared to stop,” a CPS spokesperson told Global News.
The snowplow safety manager urged people to do more than just an emergency kit when driving on the highways: patience will help drivers get to their destination.
“The big thing: slow down. We’re here to keep everyone safe to get you home,” Stasiuk said. “It’s the Christmas season. We don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
