By: Sydney Zatz
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Five snow plows were hit statewide during the first snow event of the season, prompting the North Dakota Department of Transportation to ask drivers to be more careful.
The state typically reports about 20 snow plow crashes each season, but this year is starting off concerning, according to NDDOT officials.
“Just trying to get people aware of how many plows we had hit throughout the state in one event. Five plows is quite a bit and these trucks are very easy to see, there’s a lot of lights,” said Kent Leysring, a NDDOT Fargo District Maintenance Superintendent.
“We’re just trying to keep our drivers as safe as we can while they’re out doing their work.”
No one was injured in those incidents. Two of the five incidents happened in the Fargo region.
Recent crashes in Fargo area
“One was out on 94 west of town here. That one sounds like it was icy and a pickup and a trailer kind of lost control and the trailer slid into our truck,” Leysring said.
“The one on I-29 was a pickup, I don’t know if he didn’t see the truck or whatever but he just drove right into the back of the snow plow.”
While NDDOT handles major roadways, the City of Fargo manages neighborhood and downtown streets. Those narrow streets can make plow drivers’ jobs more dangerous, according to city officials.
“It is a big concern when we’re out there operating. We need as much room as we can possibly can,” said Ben Dow, Public Works Director for the City of Fargo.
“Our operators are great, they’re great at what they do. But in those tight situations it can be very difficult to make corrections when you start slipping and sliding.”
Different challenges for state and city crews
For NDDOT, snow fog is the main concern for snow plow drivers. The city says their problem lies with slick roads.
“You know, it’s usually the icy conditions that we see. In Fargo, it does get icy, as it is right now. That’s when it happens,” Dow said.
