SD Highway Patrol asks drivers to be cautious when snow hits - Keloland
Rapid City, S.D. (KELO) –Yesterday snowfall hit the Black Hills nonstop for several hours, leading to several accidents and cars being stuck in ditches.
The DOT and Highway Patrol are hoping that events like these can be prevented in the future with more preparation.
After the snow started to hit the Black Hills Area, cars were sliding around and calls were coming in rapidly.
“Here in Rapid City we were getting calls for service on the interstate. In town, the Rapid City Police Department was getting calls there and all throughout the county. There were just calls left and right, people just sliding off into a ditch and a lot of it is just preventable just by slowing down.” Lieutenant Shann Barrick Said
So when road conditions take a turn for the worse, what factors go into closing the interstate?
“One is, how much snow do we currently have on the ground. Are our ditches full, is the wind going to pick up, what kind of snow do we got coming and when can we close. You know that’s our last resort, really, is to close.” Rapid City Area DOT Engineer Mike Carlson said.
Some tips include reducing distractions in the car like changing the radio, and to have some blankets, flashlights and portable phone chargers ready.
“Make sure their tires are good for where they are going to go. Make sure they have enough fuel in the vehicle. At any time when you’re out there on the roads and the roads are bad, you never know if a situation is going to come around where you end up crashing. So you want to make sure you have enough fuel to keep yourself warm as long as you can or at least until help can come and get you,” Barrick said.
Interstate and highway snow plows also want drivers to be cautious while passing them.
“So if you see us with a blue light, amber light, that’s a snow plow driving out there at 30 miles per hour, you need to slow down and pay attention. We don’t mind you going around us safely and just the road behind us is always better than the road ahead of us,” Carlson said.
The Highway Patrol wants individuals to take lessons learned from Thursday’s weather and to set themselves up for success in the future.
South Dakota Highway Patrol is also looking for more officers and will have applications open for new recruits with the deadline being March 14.