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Winter is coming: Check your mailbox

Posted at 5:05 AM, Oct 17, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-17 05:05:39-04

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (AP) — Shake your — mailbox?

Indeed, that’s the message in many areas of Michigan where mailboxes are attached to posts at the end of a driveway. As another winter approaches, road commissions are reminding residents to check the stability of their mailbox.

A weak mailbox post is no match for snow coming off a plow at 35 mph. The Ottawa County Road Commission says it’s “no picnic” to dig out a fallen mailbox and try to reinstall it in frozen ground.

Alex Doty of the road commission says mailboxes can be a serious hazard along a road and a liability risk for homeowners.

The reminder comes on the heels of Governor Snyder signing new legislation that allows commercial snowplows to continue using amber warning lights en route from one job to another.

“With winter around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the safety of Michiganders on snowy roads,” Governor Snyder said. “This bill will help snowplow operators err on the side of caution and leave their warning lights on when moving from one parking lot to another.”