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PLYMOUTH — Winter weather is just weeks away and the Indiana Department of Transportation wants to make sure all drivers are safe on the roads.

With this in mind, INDOT unveiled its latest snow removal equipment Wednesday morning, Oct. 21, and announced the realignment of its district boundaries and snow routes.

On a day touted as “Back to the Future Day,” INDOT showed off a futuristic snow plow truck with computer capabilities that may have seemed like science fiction a few years ago.

INDOT plows now have the capability of pulling a secondary plow that makes it possible to salt and clear two lanes at once. The secondary plows have ceramic rods that break up ice on the roadway, allowing salt to penetrate for faster melting. Rubber on the plows serves as a sort of “squeegee,” to clear moisture off of the pavement.

Meanwhile, the driver is inside, using a monitor and joysticks to control everything from the plow to the amount of brine going onto the road.

According to INDOT LaPorte District Media Relations Director Doug Moats, the plan is for INDOT to eventually use these trucks statewide. For now, they have three in the LaPorte District, including one they tested out last year on SR 25 near Monticello.

“When you use this technology, it makes you think about what the future can hold,” Moats said.

Statewide, INDOT has snow routes on 30,000 miles of road, with highly trained crews on the job 24 hours a day. Through a partnership with Purdue University, INDOT receives specialized statewide forecasts.

While snow plow drivers do their part to keep the roads clear, travelers can also do their part to make sure they arrive at their destination safely. INDOT offered the following tips:

• Know the condition of the roads. check INDOT’s Facebook and Twitter pages or Trafficwise
• Plan extra travel time to get to your destination
• Clear off your vehicle completely, not just the windshield
• Give plow crews room to work. Stay back, slow down and watch for plows to make sudden stops or turns.

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