Now that a significant amount of snow has fallen on Austin, the Mower County Highway Department wants to remind residents that it is illegal to dump snow onto a public road.

Snow piles on the roadway are not only dangerous for those driving on the road, but also for snowplows. Snowplows can end up in the ditch or sustain damage after hitting a pile of frozen snow.

Snow pushed onto a highway can also drift and cause for icy road conditions.

Anybody who deposits snow on a roadway may be liable in a civil lawsuit if damages or injuries occur as a result of the snow.