ODOT Crews Prepare for Winter Weather and Provide Winter Driving Tips

Along with Christmas, winter weather is officially underway.

With the winter weather being around the corner, ODOT crews are preparing to help make roads safe for travel. Usually, ODOT prepares for winter storms by pretreating the roads with salt brine. However, even with salt the roads can still be slick and icy, especially with freezing temperatures.

So it’s important to drive cautiously during and after a winter storm. While driving be sure to slow down for snowplows and give them plenty of room as they work to keep our roads clear.

“Give our plows plenty of room to work. They’re out there trying to keep the roads safe for motorists. Just a heads up, they are travelling at a much slower speed than the speed limit because they’re fully loaded with salt and in order to get that salt working, they got to drive at a slower speed.” ODOT District 5 Public Information Officer, Morgan Overbey said.

Aside from driving with extra caution, having items prepared in your car like an emergency kit, blankets and water play a part in having a safe trip in winter weather.

“With the cold temperatures, the wind, if you were to be stranded it’s important to have those things in your car just in case.” Overbey said.

Checking your tires and making sure your vehicle is in good shape can also help ensure safe winter travels.