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Snow plow drivers debunk winter weather myths, reveal safest place on roads

Posted at 2:08 PM, Nov 10, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-14 12:57:24-05

PARK CITY, Utah - A snow storm swept through the mountains Tuesday forcing UDOT snow plows out in full force in Parley's Canyon and Park City.

At about 3 p.m., the snow was still falling in Park City. According to a Park City tweet, about 5 inches of new snow had accumulated.

On Tuesday morning, UDOT had about two-dozen trucks working the roads in the higher elevations.

The department was spraying a salt mixture over the roadways to keep the water from freezing, since the air temperature was as low as 29 degrees in some areas.

Normally, that would freeze the water on the roads but the salt mixture keeps that from happening.

Snow plow drivers say the challenge for them is safety.

Officials said drivers seem to think if they pass a snow plow they will be in the clear but actually it's safer to be behind one, even if they are moving slowly.

“A storm like this, the biggest challenge is a safety factor,” UDOT snow plow driver Kirrby Woodard said. “We are out there on the roads, the roads are kind of bad but in decent shape but we got people, I understand they got places to go and things to do, we are a little slow out here on the road, but we are trying to do our job as well.”

Sometimes the snow plows are only traveling 20 miles per hour.

It depends on the conditions but either way, UDOT is asking drivers to wait for them to allow a space for you to drive past them before you speed up.