Accommodating snowplows…
Sharing the road with snowplows requires patience and attention to safety measures. Here are some tips for sharing the road with snowplows:
· Drive slowly
· Don’t crowd the plow. Leave room for maintenance vehicles and plows.
· Be prepared for sudden stops
· Remember that visibility in front of the plow is often worse. Turn on your lights
· Brush the snow off your headlights and taillights regularly
Keep in mind that passing snow removal equipment is risky behavior. Road conditions will always be safer 200 feet behind the equipment. While it may be feasible to pass a single salt spreader operating on a multi-lane roadway, it’s never safe to pass a salt spreader or plow with its blade down, pushing snow. Never pass a group of plows that is stretched across a roadway and engaged in plowing. They are literally passing hundreds of pounds of snow from vehicle to vehicle.
If you MUST pass a salt spreader:
· Reduce your vehicle’s speed to safely pass.
· Allow for extra room while passing a salt spreader. Their blades extend several feet ahead of the truck so don’t’ cut in too fast.
· Pass only on the left.
· Prepare for salt to bounce off your car.