Startling dashcam footage prompted New York state officials to issue a warning for residents driving on treacherous winter roads.
The New York State Department of Transportation released the clip which shows a car ramming into the side of a snowplow near the city of Watertown, according to Democrat & Chronicle.
Officials said no one was hurt in the nighttime collision but urged drivers to stay alert when driving in dangerous conditions.
"Our plow trucks weigh several times more than passenger vehicles, which means our operators are often well protected inside the cab," NYSDOT officials said in a Facebook post. "The people most at risk are the drivers who lose control and hit them."
Winter weather has impacted the area significantly since the start of the new year. Democrat & Chronicle reported that Watertown recently received up to 20 inches of fresh lake-effect snow. Prior to that, an East Coast storm left behind 18 inches of snow.
Per the Environmental Defense Fund, lake-effect snow happens "when cold air moves over relatively warm, unfrozen waters, producing intense bands of precipitation where snowfall is often measured in inches per hour." It's common in the Great Lakes region, where Watertown is located.
Nearly one quarter of weather-related crashes happen in snowy, slushy, or icy road conditions each year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. More than 1,300 people die in those accidents.
There are several steps drivers can take to stay safe in winter conditions. Per NYSDOT, plows are difficult to maneuver due to their size and weight. Drivers are urged to stay at least eight car lengths behind the equipment on freshly plowed roads.
Transportation officials also said drivers should never attempt to pass snowplows — a piece of advice Facebook users echoed.
"And a reminder, if you are told to go around when someone is controlling traffic at an incident scene, just find another way," one commenter said. "DO NOT drive past them or argue with them."
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