Driveway markers have about 300 variations to consider when figuring out your order for the season. What size height? What color? What diameter? Do I need a cap? Etc etc. The new stake companies are throwing a new wrinkle at you. The 3 ft snow stake!

At first glance, 3 foot stakes don’t seem so bad right? They’re cheap, about $.30/stake lower in cost. They look the same as the 4 footers on the website that is offering them. So why not go with 3 ft snow stakes and save a couple bucks? Here’s why:

Safety – In any snow plowing application, keeping the property being serviced safe is the #1 priority. When you put 3 foot driveway markers in the ground, it automatically creates an obstacle course on the property for the people who are there. The stake goes into the ground at least 9″, which leaves just a little over 2 feet of stake out of the ground. This makes the stake an easy target to trip over and god forbid, fall on top of.

Limited Visibility – The point of a driveway marker is to show the snow plow driver where the landscape ends and the road begins. With that being said, it can be challenging to see 4 ft stakes at times while plowing. With the snow stake virtually being lower than the bumper of a truck, it can really make stake visibility almost impossible.

They’re Actually 2 Feet! – This means, after the first snow fall or two, they’re covered altogether. The snow plow driver knowing exactly where the property being protected starts is imperative to limit property damage during the snow season.

Limit Legal Troubles – As mentioned above, people can hurt themselves pretty easily on items sticking out of the ground. Also, people driving can miss the stake and drive over it causing tire and under carriage damage