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March 10, 2010

Zero visibility | Adams crash tied to snow piles serves as reminder

Anonymous The Tribune-Democrat Wed Mar 10, 2010, 02:26 PM EST

Young hunters are told to follow this golden rule: Always see clearly first, then shoot.

Drivers of all ages should follow the same guideline – even during a severe winter – when visibility is most challenging.

As you read in these pages last week, a crash involving a police officer and another driver was tied to snow piles that hindered visibility.

In Adams Township, a police officer and an 18-year-old woman were injured, according to police reports, because she didn’t see the cruiser as she pulled from a driveway – even though the vehicle’s emergency lights were flashing. The officer was responding to another accident when the collision occurred.

While sunshine and warmer temperatures have been melting snow, there are still many large piles here and there across Cambria and Somerset counties. In many cases, those piles are at intersections or along driveways.

If you can’t see what’s coming down the road, you can’t pull out.

Likewise, drivers should always clear snow and ice from their windshields, windows and side mirrors.

It’s not good enough to scrape out a small space above the steering wheel. Drivers must be able to see to both sides and to the rear.

In fact, it’s a law.

Thankfully, although both drivers in the Adams Township crash were taken to the hospital, both were released after treatment. Their injuries could have been much worse.

And we can all learn from their unfortunate meeting.

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