Side-wing incident shows need for safety around snowplows

It’s the time of year for year-end holidays, snow and winter driving. As winter is in full force here in East Idaho, drivers will continue to see our snow plows on the highway, keeping the roads clear and keeping drivers mobile.

With the most recent storm that rolled in earlier this week in East Idaho, our crews were hard at work running snowplows 24/7 until roads were cleared. As winter begins, we are already starting to see multiple slide-offs and crashes.

During the most recent storm event, District 6 has seen a rising accumulation of snow that has impacted driving conditions. To help mitigate the snowfall on the roadway in a timely manner, our crews will often use side-wing plows.

These side wings are mounted to the frame of the plow truck, on either side, allowing the operator to move the snow farther off the lane of travel with a single pass, versus having to make two passes if solely using a plow. Additionally, the side wings vary in length from 8 to 10 feet; however, when fully deployed these wings are set at a rough 45-degree angle.

Since the wings are angled, their actual ground coverage ranges at 6 to 8 feet, depending on the length of the wing.

Operators have experienced multiple near-misses from the traveling public during storm operations. Recently, a motorist collided with one of our D6 side wings, causing substantial damage to the motorists’ vehicle and the ITD snowplow.
Thankfully there were no reported injuries associated with this incident and all parties walked away.

We encourage drivers to slow down, drive with caution, allow extra time for travel, and maintain a safe distance from snow- removal equipment.

Published 12-07-18