Drive on major roadways in Western New York and, chances are, you are being watched. Those extra sets of eyes are there to keep you safe, especially when wintry weather hits. Time Warner Cable News reporter Sarah Blazonis goes behind the scenes at the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- If you live in Western New York, you probably have a winter weather driving pet peeve.

"My least favorite is black ice," said Buffalo resident Zay Tun. Black ice, we can't predict."

"People who don't brush off the top of their car and then you're behind them and the whole time, you're just getting hit with the snow from their car," said Devon Bradley, who lives in West Seneca.

Or maybe more than one pet peeve.

"People who fly past you and splatter your windshield with the gunk that's in the road," said Nadine Bradley, also of West Seneca.

Navigating the region's roadways can be tough beginning this time of year. But whether you know it or not, there are people out there trying to make it a little easier -- people like Jordan Sullivan, who works for NITTEC as a TMOT, which stands for transportation management operations technician.

TMOTs like Sullivan monitor highways across Western New York.

"The 90, the 290, the 190, the 33, we have cameras on Route 400,"  said Sullivan.

They are in constant contact with the DOT and police, county and weather agencies, sharing information about what roads should be pre-treated, where plows are needed and areas drivers should avoid.

But there are challenges, especially when dealing with bands of lake effect snow that hit unexpectedly.

"It's kind of tough," said Sullivan. "We almost have to, in a way, play meteorologist sometimes, or work with the meteorologists to try to predict where it's going to be bad."

While there is not much they can do about whiteout conditions or inconsiderate drivers, NITTEC does offer e-mail and text alerts to help people stay informed and hopefully pick the smoothest route possible.

To learn how you can sign up for NITTEC alerts, click here.