Winter Reminder from Mercer County Engineer Jim Wiechart and Snowplow crews:

During snow and ice removal nothing prevents crews from doing a safe and efficient job of clearing roadways more than abandoned vehicles on and along county roadways that either slow or obstruct snowplows from getting county roads open.

Here are a few winter safety driving tips that hopefully will allow snowplow crews to provide safe travel this winter for Mercer County motorists:

• If you have to travel during hazardous conditions, use common sense and adjust your speed to surrounding road conditions and slow down.

• When following a snowplow, be vigilant and stay back far enough so you can be seen in the snowplow driver’s mirrors. All snowplows have starting and stopping points on their routes and at times unexpected backing by the truck may be necessary. A lot of turning around at intersections occur.

• Many of the township and county road pavements are one-lane or narrower. Never attempt to pass from behind in these circumstances.

• When approaching a snowplow coming toward you on a typical two-lane road, give some room to those large trucks and pull over as far as you safely can. The tip of the blade usually is at or around the centerline of the pavement.

• Be vigilant at intersections and provide plenty of room. Plows may have to clear the edges of the radius of the intersection of snow and ice, which require many forward and reverse operations at the intersection area.

• If clearing driveway, do not push snow to the approach side of mailbox (place it on the exit side of the mailbox).

• Stay abreast of the road conditions and advisories issued by the local media.

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