Deerfoot Trail is part of Amanda Westby’s daily commute but lately she’s been dreading the drive home.
“It came out of nowhere, I had no reaction time, it was the scariest moment of my life.”
Westby was driving south on Deerfoot when a snowplow clearing the Stoney Trail overpass above unknowingly launched snow and ice over the barrier and onto the vehicles driving below.
Westby was one of those vehicles and caught the entire thing on her dash cam.
“Every time I get to that point in the road I automatically slow down, and my heart rate races,” says Westby. “My palms get sweaty, and I hold my breath because I am terrified.”
Luckily Westby wasn’t hurt but her car sustained $8,000 worth of damage, including a cracked windshield.
“I have my hood with a big dent in it, damage underneath my hood, damage to the light, my signal no longer works which is a safety hazard,” says Westby.
Her car is booked into a repair shop but not until the end of December and then she will be without it for at least 6 days.
Her insurance will cover most of the repair cost, with the exception of the windshield which isn’t covered as part of her plan. The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) says making a claim with your own insurance coverage is the quickest way to get claims like this resolved.
This type of vehicle damage falls under comprehensive coverage, while glass is part of an endorsement, both of which are optional coverages in Alberta which means for some drivers the repairs could be out of pocket expenses.
If a vehicle is damaged by a municipal snowplow there is a claim form that can be submitted on the City of Calgary website to try and recoup of some the repair costs, but IBC warns that can be a lengthy process and you will most likely have to get the repair done and submit receipts.
Stoney Trail is maintained by the province and the company that operates those snowplows says it’s now investigating.
As for Westby, she hopes it’s an experience she won’t have to relive any time soon.
“I didn’t know if I should continue to go, to stop, I had no idea what to do,” recalls Westby. “I’ve never been in that situation before and don’t ever want to be in that situation again.”