Southern Region Preservation Engineer David Stearns says when plows are in operation, they often cause "mini-blizzards" in the back and sides of the plows, significantly reducing visibility and increasing the risk of rear-end collisions.
Stearns says some safety features are being rolled out on the Ministry's 300 plows, including a new high-visibility rear checkerboard sign, kept clear with a wind scoop mounted on the vehicle's endgate. Also the elevation of the "wig-wag" lights on the back of the truck and amber rotary lights have been raised.
Last winter, there were three collisions involving provincial snow plows, including a fatal collision near Maple Creek last February where a vehicle ran into a semi-truck that slowed for a plow, and a collision with a plow on the North Service Road in Swift Current in that same month.