First responders, plow crews working around the clock during winter storm

SPOKANE, Wash. — Law enforcement and crews with the Department of Transportation have been extremely busy in recent days, responding to help people who have become stuck or got in crashes during the recent winter storm.

Washington State Patrol says their troopers were called to 172 crashes between Saturday at noon and noon on Monday. The sheriff’s office responded to more than 125 crashes or slide-offs in the last 48 hours.

Hundreds of plow drivers are working around the clock to improve road conditions but with as many as eight inches of new snow falling Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning, it could be days until they get to some areas.

To make things go smoother, plow crews as that you keep your car off of residential streets if you can, and be sure stay out of their way if you see plows on the roads.

“We have signs on the back that say stay back 150 feet, but no one looks at it. They drive all around us, they go in and out, they honk at us, they do all kinds of things,” said Spokane Valley plow driver Dana Haugen.

Better yet, if you can avoid the roads altogether, officials ask that you do so.

While we know many can’t skip work, and working from home is not an option for everyone, the Department of Transportation says the fewer cars on the roads during winter storms like this one, the better.

If you can, try to carpool where ever you’re going, and always make sure to have the right supplies on hand if your car gets stuck or stranded.

Get your weather forecast from people that actually live in your community. We update with short, easy-to-use video forecasts you can watch on your phone every day. Download the iOS or Android app here.

COPYRIGHT 2023 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.