Keep an Eye Out for Snowplows This Holiday Season

Released on December 21, 2017

The winter holiday season is upon us, meaning many people will be travelling throughout the province to visit friends and loved ones.  With this in mind, Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit is kicking off the annual provincial Snow Zone campaign, aimed to remind travellers to slow down and stay back when approaching snowplows on provincial highways.

“Too often we see people travelling too fast for the road conditions and passing snowplows,” Marit said.  “I remind travellers to be patient and caution them that it’s illegal to pass a snowplow at a speed greater than 60 km/hr when both the blue and amber lights are flashing, regardless of whether travelling on a two or four lane highway.  Snowplow operators will pull over roughly every 10 km, or when it is safe to do so, to allow traffic to pass.”

Current legislation allows you to pass a snowplow when it is pulled over, but you must slow to 60 km/hr when passing, similar to other emergency vehicles.  A new blue and amber lighting sequence was introduced in December of 2015 to distinguish snow removal equipment in operation from other vehicles also using amber lights.

In advance of a winter storm, crews are continuously monitoring road and weather conditions.  When it is necessary, crews will apply anti-icing liquid, salt or sand to the highway surface.

Drivers can help keep roads safe this winter by:

• Driving according to weather and highway conditions;
• Slowing down when visibility and road conditions deteriorate;
• Planning routes in advance (use the Highway Hotline www.saskatchewan.ca/highwayhotline or call 511);
• Avoiding non-essential travel during winter snow storms; and
• Allowing snow plows sufficient time and space to do their job (do not pass working snow plows).