Blue flashing lights to be added to Saskatchewan snowplows
Hundreds of provincial vehicles will switch to blue lights in January
Snowplowing in Saskatchewan will soon enter its blue phase with new flashing lights.
The provincial cabinet recently passed regulations allowing for the use of blue flashing lights on snow removal equipment.
When government snow plows are actively involved in snow-clearing, motorists on the highways are required to slow to 60 kilometres per hour.
Currently, snowplows in Saskatchewan use amber lights when they're plowing.
The problem is, according to highway department spokesman Doug Wakabayashi, amber lights are also used as "over width" indicators when the plows are simply driving from one point to another.
To avoid confusion, the province plans to put blue lights on all its snow-clearing graders and plows, starting in January.
That means when the plows are just driving, the amber "over-width" lights will be on. When the truck is actively plowing, the blue lights will be used.
The idea is to make the highways safer during winter months.
Other provinces, including Ontario, have switched to blue flashing lights for snowplows.
In recent years, there have been some serious and sometimes fatal accidents on Saskatchewan highways involving snowplows.