It’s that time of year again when you’ll see the familiar amber and red lights flashing on Alberta’s highways. With 32,000 kilometres of provincial highways, snowplows are a fact of winter Alberta drivers have to contend with.

"Snowplows can be on the road at anytime," says Moh Lali, director of the Maintenance, Specifications and Traffic Engineering Section. "To ensure road safety, snowplows are on Alberta’s highways when as little as two centimetres of snow is on the ground."

Sharing the road with snowplows can create special challenges for motorists. You can be better prepared by following a few simple tips when you encounter a snowplow:

• Slow down and keep to the right. Snowplows in residential areas move at much slower speeds than other vehicles. On the highway, snowplows may travel as much as 70 km/hr. Operators also frequently stop to clean off their lights.
• Don’t pass on the right hand side on undivided highways. Snow and debris exit the plow on the right and pose a severe hazard.
• Be cautious when approaching a snowplow from behind – plows may cause snow clouds that reduce visibility.
• Watch for the flashing amber lights on the back of these vehicles. These lights send a very intense, narrow band of light behind the snowplow that increases its visibility.
• Stay well back until the snowplow operator can safely pull over to let you pass. They will pull over about every eight to 12 kilometres and will turn off the sand for vehicles passing whenever possible.

"Always keep your headlights on when travelling," says Jeanette Espie, executive director of Alberta Transportation’s Office of Traffic Safety. "This ensures snowplow operators can see you too."

Did you know…?

• Alberta spends approximately $75 million on snow and ice control each winter.
• There are 32,000 kilometres of highway in the province with 28,400 of it paved.
• The province uses 520,000 tons of sand and 150,000 tons of salt to maintain Alberta’s highways.
• There are more than 540 snowplows stationed in approximately 100 maintenance shops across the province.

Drive safe – keep well back from the snowplow’s track.

For information about traffic safety, please contact the Traffic Safety Initiative at (780) 422-8839 or visit www.saferoads.com.

For more information, please contact:

For toll-free calls, first dial 310-0000.