Lawn sprinklers can create icy roads: Turn them off

The Georgia Department of Transportation is warning people to turn off overnight lawn sprinklers — and prevent traffic tragedies.

Most automatic sprinklers should not be used anyway under current watering restrictions, but some people are still using lawn irrigation timed to come on at night. The sprinklers are a recipe for disaster when the season’s first freeze comes, according to DOT.

The water that runs into the street overnight freezes and makes black ice.

“No one can drive on ice!” DOT District Engineer Russell McMurry, who oversees an area northeast of Atlanta, said in a statement.

That’s even in the best of times. During the first freezes, that also means that drivers aren’t expecting the ice. They are probably driving at dry-road speeds. And their winter-driving reflexes are likely a bit rusty.

“The worst time of the year for these accidents is during the first cold spell of the season with sub-freezing temperatures,” McMurry said. “Your sprinkler system should be turned off already because of our water restrictions but we wanted to remind you that your sprinklers could create a dangerous situation for people driving.”

And for the drivers, he added, “anytime we have sub-freezing temperatures, please be on the lookout for icy patches or black ice, especially early in the morning.”