Snow Safety

Snow removal safety tips 

Our first priority during winter storms is safety. Please help our plow drivers clear the roads as safely as possible by following these tips:  

  • Stay back at least 30 feet from the rear of a plow truck so the driver can see you.  Do not assume that the driver can see you If you can’t see the driver in his mirrors, he can’t see you. 

  • Avoid passing or driving alongside these trucks. Plow trucks are capable of removing multiple lanes of snow while simultaneously spreading salt or sand on the roadways.  Please allow enough room for the trucks to operate in a safe manner.   

  • Park your vehicles in the driveway clear of the roadway and curb. Vehicles parked in the roadway or extending out of driveways and over curbs add to the obstacles the drivers already encounter, which hinders their performance and ability to clear snow and ice in a timely manner. 

    Watch an illustration showing how vehicles parked along the roadway can affect plowing operations. 

      Graphic showing car being buried bly snow plow
  • Teach your children to stay behind the sidewalks when they see a truck coming. The heavy, wet snow coming off the plow is capable of being thrown several feet, and it can potentially injure you if you are too close.  

  • Build snow forts, igloos and snowmen far away from the street and avoid using the snow banks on the edge of the road. Our trucks will often return to bump the snow back to the curb, and this can tear open or collapse their creations. 

  • Place a marker, such as a survey flag, behind the back of your curb to help our drivers to identify the curb location and prevent lawn damage. Flags are available for pick up at no charge at our Municipal Services Service Center, 7700 Cottonwood. For more information, call 913.477.7880. 

  • Remove portable basketball goals, hockey goals, skate board ramps and other structures from the street to avoid damage to these items and to allow plow trucks to reach the curb.


Graphic showing distance needed around snow plows