Passing a Snowplow on a Winter Highway
You are on a two-lane highway at 8 a.m. in January. A state snowplow is ahead in your lane doing about 30 mph in a 55 mph zone, plowing and spreading material. Its amber lights are on. The road behind it is clearer than the lane ahead, and there is a slight crest about 200 feet ahead. Oncoming traffic is intermittent. You have been stuck behind it for two miles and are getting impatient; you have a 9 a.m. appointment.
1. Should you pass the plow now? Explain the decision.
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No - not here. Passing a plow is legal in many places when safe, but this is not safe: you are approaching a crest that hides oncoming traffic, the plow is actively spreading material, and the road ahead of the plow is likely worse than behind it. Wait until you have a clear, long sight line with no oncoming vehicles and no crest or curve. The plow's job is to make the road passable; the cleared surface behind it is often the better lane, so passing may gain you little and cost you a head-on crash.
2. If you do decide to pass later when conditions allow, what should you do and avoid?
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Wait for a straight, flat stretch with clear visibility and no oncoming traffic, signal, check mirrors and blind spot, and pass decisively without lingering beside the plow - its blade and spreader throw snow, ice, and material, and the driver's visibility is limited. Never pass on the right (the plow may be spreading there) and never crowd the plow. Expect the pavement ahead of the plow to be snow-covered and slippery, so reduce speed as you complete the pass rather than accelerating into an icy lane.
3. You decide to stay behind the plow. How should you follow it, and what should you watch for?
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Follow well back - farther than normal, since the plow can throw material and stop or turn unpredictably, and its lights can mask hazards. Stay out of its blind spots, keep your lights on, and watch for the plow's turn signals and for wing blades extending to the side. Also scan for wildlife drawn to the roadside and for ice where the plow has scraped but not yet treated. Budget extra time rather than tailgating; arriving late is better than a crash.