Driving through a dust storm is never safe

Arizona summers in the desert are hot and dry. When we get a monsoon downpour, it’s often preceded by dust. It doesn’t take much for a gust of wind to kick up dust and reduce visibility on our roadways. It’s never safe to drive through a dust storm.

Monsoon Awareness Week is June 9-15 this year. It provides the Arizona Department of Transportation the opportunity to remind drivers of the dangers associated with our monsoon storms, especially dust storms. Our “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” safety campaign provides drivers with the tools to stay safe, if you are ever near or caught in a dust storm. Remember to:

• Check traffic all around you and begin to slow down
• Pull off to the side of the road or exit if you can
• Turn off your lights including emergency flashers
• Set the emergency brake and leave your foot off the brake
• Stay in your vehicle and buckle up
• Wait for the storm to pass

ADOT’s first-in-the-nation dust detection and warning system is located on a 10-mile stretch on Interstate 10 near Eloy, between mileposts 209 and 219. The dust-detection technology employed includes overhead message boards, variable speed limit signs, closed-circuit cameras  and short-range detectors for blowing dust. The dust detection system has helped detect and warn drivers of blowing dust, and has been operational since 2020. 

I would encourage you to add the AZ511 app to your phone for up-to-the-minute road alerts. If inclement weather causes delays or a road closure, you’ll receive updates from AZ 511.

Driving through a dust storm is never safe. I want to remind everyone to keep safety in mind at all times – we want everyone to make it home safely