The Goldendale WSP Detachment partnering with the Department of Transportation has found an additional way to help decrease the number of winter related collisions and target violators traveling on the highways during the winter months.
Starting this week, troopers from the Goldendale detachment will be riding with DOT snowplows in Klickitat and Skamania counties. Working in conjunction with other marked and unmarked patrol cars, they will be calling out violations they observe, while riding in the snow plows, to other officers.
The focus will be on the patrols' core missions of DUI enforcement, aggressive driving, seatbelt compliance and dangerous speeding.
In addition, they will also be conducting chain enforcement in designated areas, especially on SR 97 Satus Pass and on SR 14 near Cape Horn.
The goal of this combined effort is prevention and to target those drivers that are often responsible for causing winter related collisions and blocking the highways.
The snow plows play a critical role during the winter in ensuring that roadways stay open. DOT snow plows have constant radio communications with the WSP patrol cars and are able to notify local WSP units of violations or problems they observe on our highways.
Please drive with care when snowplows are in sight. They travel slowly, usually under 40 miles per hour. Consider this before you are tempted to pass a snow plow:
Snowplow drivers need to concentrate on their task and the road conditions in front of them, so they may not spot a vehicle trying to pass.
Some snowplows are equipped with a "wing plow", an eight-foot extension off the right side of the truck. It allows the operator to clear snow from the driving lane and shoulder at the same time. The wing plows can be hard to see, so never pass a snowplow on the right.
Plows also spread sand or chemicals on the road. Leave enough room to avoid having your car peppered with grit or splashed with chemicals.
Washington State Department of Transportation snowplow operators are instructed to check regularly for traffic behind them. If there is a traffic build-up and no passing lane, they will look for a safe location to pull over and let motorists pass.
Use extra caution when driving in winter weather conditions. Slow down and increase your following distance. Remember, the next time you see a snow plow, there may be more than just a snow plow driver watching you.
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