Postal Service: Keep area around mailbox clear

The U.S. Postal Service is asking people in Idaho to keep the area around their mailboxes clear of snow and ice.

“Snow and ice on sidewalks, front porches and around rural mailboxes present a serious safety challenge for our letter carriers, who make on average 600 deliveries a day,” said Idaho Falls Postmaster James Alvord in a news release Tuesday. “Letter carriers have hurt their knees or backs, or even suffered broken bones from falls on slippery surfaces.”

Postal customers who get mail delivered to their door should ensure their sidewalks, steps and access ways are kept safely clear of snow and ice. Customers getting street-side mailbox or centralized cluster neighborhood mailbox delivery should also pay attention to having a safe and clear pathway to their mailbox, the Postal Service said.

If you don’t keep the area around your mailbox clear, you might not get your mail, since letter carriers are told to not deliver to locations they deem too hazardous.