SPOKANE, Wash. — WSDOT is gearing up for what they call their Super Bowl as crews prepare to work around the clock on Wednesday.
Wednesday's forecasted snowstorm is just hours away, but WSDOT crews are on standby getting ready for conditions to change.
They say drivers need to take their time on Wednesday and bring their patience.
"As snow starts falling, they will be out," Ryan Overton, communications manager for WSDOT's Eastern Region, said. "And we have the ability to call in crews if necessary."
The first snow of the season typically prompts the risk of accidents on the road.
"We do see an uptick in the number of collisions, especially in that first snowfall because it's all about that learning period once again we go through in the Inland Northwest," Overton said.
Overton said while there are many factors that can lead to an accident, the biggest one is not being aware of your surroundings.
"Distracted driving, following too close, inattention," Overton described. "In the case of snow and ice, trying to turn too quickly, slowing down with not enough space between you and the vehicle in front."
Overton said one habit he's seen drivers do is try to move ahead of snowplows as they travel 35 miles per hour or less. Overton said spreading deicer allows its placement to be concise, staying on the roads as much as possible.
"The faster we go, the more scatter we get," Overton said. "So, the material isn't actually staying in the lane. It's scattering off in the shoulders."
The same speed goes for plowing.
"The faster we go, the farther we're going to be pushing that snow off the blade of our plows," Overton said. "So, 35 mph kind of keeps it on the shoulder itself."
All are protocols Overton hopes will be remembered by drivers across the city,
"We've picked up two stroke engines, blocks of ice [and] large boulders before," Overton said. "And when we're pushing that snow to the right and somebody is trying to pass, that's the vehicle that's trying to pass that's going to be hit with those items."
Overton said while this winter season is being prepared like others, anything can happen.
"Every weather system is different," Overton said. "So, how the roadway is going to look is going to be dependent on mother nature. We just ask that the traveling public give them plenty of space to do their jobs so we can make it safe for the public and get them from A to B."
WSDOT said while crews are on-call Tuesday night, they will be working in 12-hour shifts to keep highways clear.