Nearly 50 snowplows were struck by other vehicles in Ohio last winter
As the seasons transition and road crews prepare to keep the roads clear of snow, here are a few safety tips that motorists to keep in mind while driving near snowplows.
By
Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Nov 8, 2021 4:24 PM EDT
|
Updated Nov 8, 2021 9:26 PM EDT
At least one state saw a significant increase in the number of snowplows hit by drivers during the pandemic. AccuWeather’s Emmy Victor explains what drivers can do to stay safe this winter.
In Ohio, nearly 50 of its Department of Transportation snowplows were involved in traffic accidents over the winter of 2020-2021 despite fewer drivers on the road amid the pandemic.
About 46 snowplows in the state were hit by other vehicles last winter -- up from only eight during the winter of 2019-2020, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Nine snowplows alone were struck within two weeks during the start of 2021.
"That's way too many times, and I think a lot of that is because people are out traveling," ODOT Public Information Officer Matt Bruning told AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor. "If we can just get people to just stay home when it's snowing and the roads are bad, that would help tremendously."
Ohio experienced several rounds of snowstorms over the course of the 2020-2021 winter, with one bringing 8 to 24 inches of snowfall across northeastern Ohio at the start of December. The heavy snow downed several trees, led to power outages and caused numerous car accidents and school closures, according to the National Weather Service. The highest snowfall measurement in the state from that storm was 26.3 inches, which was recorded by a trained snow spotter in Hambden Township, a suburb of Cleveland that's located in Geauga County, not far from Lake Erie. Another 9.5 inches was recorded at Cleveland Hopkins Airport on Dec. 1 -- the highest daily total for the station since the 10.9 inches of snow that fell on Feb. 4, 2009.
An ODOT crew had been working on Interstate 75 near Route 81 in Lima, Ohio, when it was struck the night of March 1, 2021, while sweeping bridge decks. (Ohio Department of Transportation - (Facebook/Northwest Ohio District 1)
A two-part winter storm hit the northeastern part of the state around Christmas, the heavy snowfall causing issues on local interstate highways. Portions of Interstate 71 in Richland County and the Ohio Turnpike in Lorain County were closed overnight on Christmas Eve. Interstate 90 received heavy snowfall on Christmas night.
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"If you have to be out, allow some extra time because it may take us some extra time to get those roads back up to where we would normally have them," Bruning warned.
Ohio is one of the six states currently looking to hire over 100 snowplow operators, meaning that it could take a little longer to get the roads fully operational this season if the positions aren't filled.
ODOT recommends that, while sharing the road with snowplow drivers, motorists should give the snowplows enough room to work and be patient -- snowplows travel below the speed limit. In addition to this, remember that the snowplow driver may not see a car behind them while clearing snow, which reduces their visibility. For this reason, avoid passing snowplows during inclement weather.
But above all, staying off the roads during the worst of the weather conditions can help keep motorists and snowplow drivers safe.
Reporting by AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Winter Weather
Nearly 50 snowplows were struck by other vehicles in Ohio last winter
As the seasons transition and road crews prepare to keep the roads clear of snow, here are a few safety tips that motorists to keep in mind while driving near snowplows.
By Adriana Navarro, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Nov 8, 2021 4:24 PM EDT | Updated Nov 8, 2021 9:26 PM EDT
At least one state saw a significant increase in the number of snowplows hit by drivers during the pandemic. AccuWeather’s Emmy Victor explains what drivers can do to stay safe this winter.
In Ohio, nearly 50 of its Department of Transportation snowplows were involved in traffic accidents over the winter of 2020-2021 despite fewer drivers on the road amid the pandemic.
About 46 snowplows in the state were hit by other vehicles last winter -- up from only eight during the winter of 2019-2020, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Nine snowplows alone were struck within two weeks during the start of 2021.
"That's way too many times, and I think a lot of that is because people are out traveling," ODOT Public Information Officer Matt Bruning told AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor. "If we can just get people to just stay home when it's snowing and the roads are bad, that would help tremendously."
Ohio experienced several rounds of snowstorms over the course of the 2020-2021 winter, with one bringing 8 to 24 inches of snowfall across northeastern Ohio at the start of December. The heavy snow downed several trees, led to power outages and caused numerous car accidents and school closures, according to the National Weather Service. The highest snowfall measurement in the state from that storm was 26.3 inches, which was recorded by a trained snow spotter in Hambden Township, a suburb of Cleveland that's located in Geauga County, not far from Lake Erie. Another 9.5 inches was recorded at Cleveland Hopkins Airport on Dec. 1 -- the highest daily total for the station since the 10.9 inches of snow that fell on Feb. 4, 2009.
An ODOT crew had been working on Interstate 75 near Route 81 in Lima, Ohio, when it was struck the night of March 1, 2021, while sweeping bridge decks. (Ohio Department of Transportation - (Facebook/Northwest Ohio District 1)
A two-part winter storm hit the northeastern part of the state around Christmas, the heavy snowfall causing issues on local interstate highways. Portions of Interstate 71 in Richland County and the Ohio Turnpike in Lorain County were closed overnight on Christmas Eve. Interstate 90 received heavy snowfall on Christmas night.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"If you have to be out, allow some extra time because it may take us some extra time to get those roads back up to where we would normally have them," Bruning warned.
Ohio is one of the six states currently looking to hire over 100 snowplow operators, meaning that it could take a little longer to get the roads fully operational this season if the positions aren't filled.
ODOT recommends that, while sharing the road with snowplow drivers, motorists should give the snowplows enough room to work and be patient -- snowplows travel below the speed limit. In addition to this, remember that the snowplow driver may not see a car behind them while clearing snow, which reduces their visibility. For this reason, avoid passing snowplows during inclement weather.
But above all, staying off the roads during the worst of the weather conditions can help keep motorists and snowplow drivers safe.
More to read:
Reporting by AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo