Montana Snowplows Have New Green Lights

It's been a pretty mild winter this year in Montana, and as such, we haven't seen the snowplows out very much.

Yesterday I found myself behind a snowplow for the first time in a long time, and I noticed the flashing green lights had taken place of the amber lights. So, why the change?

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This is something that was implemented a couple of years ago by the Montana Department of Transportation.

While green normally means "go" when you see it at stoplights, there is a bit of a difference when it comes to these green lights.

They are meant to stand out better than the old amber lights in a snowstorm, which will help drivers behind the snowplows see them sooner and avoid accidents.

READ NEXT: See 10 Towns That Get The Most Snow In Montana

The Lights Also Mean To Pass With Caution

According to the news channel KBZK out of Bozeman, the change came once the Montana Department of Transportation noticed other states around us were using green lights.

“We looked at other states around us and some states were using green,” says Kerttula. “We wanted to make our trucks safer, and we just felt like the amber lights weren’t doing that. We went to state legislature and changed the bill so we can use multicolored lights.”

Remember, when you see a plow, you can legally pass them, but the MDT reminds you to use caution.

MDT Field Maintenance Supervisor Todd Meagher told KBZK,

“Just be patient, we want everyone to get home safely”