ODOT snowplow lights get new look

CLEVELAND - There will be a new look to ODOT plow trucks this winter with the change to multicolor lights on its plow trucks.

Ohio has a new law requiring new white,green and amber lights on snowplow trucks and is the first state in the nation to require such a combination. Green flashing lights are unique to ODOT vehicles.

Studies suggest that green lights are more easily detectable to the human eye than other colors which should lead to fewer rear end collisions of which Ohio has four times as many such crashes as our surrounding states.

The goal for ODOT is to have 500 trucks retrofitted by the end of 2012. They currently have 1,800 plow trucks. All new trucks will come equipped with the new lighting.

A 150-point safety inspection was also carried out and any problems were addressed by ODOT mechanics. Three-thousand drivers will soon hit the snow-covered roads and these steps will help to further insure their safety.