South Dakota officials send out reminders about winter weather driving

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - It’s time to refresh on winter driving tips before the cold temps and snow get here. South Dakota officials are reminding people where to find resources, what’s different out on the roads this year, and how to stay safe.

This year’s La Niña is expected to bring colder and slightly wetter conditions to South Dakota, along with much of the Midwest.

Kelly Serr with the National Weather Service in Aberdeen said even though things have been warmer and drier recently, don’t count out this winter being more active than it has been in the past couple of years.

“Now, of course, it’s winter in South Dakota. We have hazards that we should expect. There’s going to be winter storms. There’s going to be snow,” Serr said.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation said its plows and crews are ready for the snow. But they want to remind people that plows are usually only operating during the daytime for safety, and that 24/7 coverage is limited to the Sioux Falls and Rapid City areas.

“Being a rural state, we do not run 24-hour operations with our snow plows. Typically, our normal, standard hours of operation are 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In some locations, some shops, we’re starting a little earlier at 4:00 a.m.” SDDOT Director of Operations Craig Smith said.

New this year is the stretch of I-29 between Brookings and Flandreau with variable speed limits. Those can be changed to better reflect the actual road conditions and help bring traffic to a safer speed.

“Speed can be an issue when we’ve got poor conditions on the slick roads. I’ve talked about the plow hits that we’ve seen. But the other thing that we see is if you have some drivers that continue to drive 75 or 80, but others are driving 60, just that speed differential also introduces a safety concern,” Smith said.

MORE: Variable speed limits being installed between Brookings and Flandreau

The South Dakota Highway Patrol wants to remind people to slow down and pay close attention if the roads are bad, as plow drivers and troopers alike will need to be out.

“The plow drivers and our troopers are out there alongside the road, usually investigating crashes. So, we just want to ask the public to slow down and watch for our people out there,” Major Austin Schmitz said.

SD511 remains the fastest place to get updates and receive information on road conditions in the state. SDDOT is urging everyone to get the app, know where to go online, or remember to call 5-1-1 this winter.