MDT Says 9 Snowplows Involved in Wrecks Over Weekend

I'm not sure if Mother Nature wasn't paying attention to the calendar or the thermostat, but she decided Montana needed a reminder of the way winter usually is in the state, but she unleashed a massive spring storm wreaking some major havoc last weekend.

via GIPHY

Besides creating sore muscles from shoveling over 11 inches of the white stuff in Great Falls alone, there were other instances of scary situations created for drivers on roads, including the Montana State Department of Transportation snowplows.

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MDT Says 9 Snowplows Involved in Wrecks Over Weekend

As snow began on Friday and continued into Saturday, the MDT snowplows were busy trying to keep up with the amounts of snow falling and deteriorating road conditions, especially in Central Montana, with I-15 being closed, among others.

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During the weekend, MDT reported that 9 snowplows were hit in accidents across the state.  While none of the accidents involved life-threating injuries, the accidents cause a separate problem; both vehicles and drivers are out of commission and unable to help keep roadways clear and safe.

MDT Requires Vehicle and Driver to Wait Before Clearing Roadways Again

Even if a collision involving a snowplow is a minor one, the vehicle and the driver are both removed from the road.  The driver must undergo drug/alcohol testing per the MDT policy before being allowed back to work.

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Snowplow vehicles must also be inspected, regardless of impact or visible damage.  The plows are towed or trucked back to the nearest MDT repair facility to be looked over fully.  Once parts and repairs have been made, the vehicle is again ready for keeping roads clear.