Is it legal to pass a working snow plow in Kentucky? Follow these safety guidelines
Snow plows in Lexington and across Kentucky are working to clear roadways in the wake of Winter Storm Blair, which blanketed Central and Eastern Kentucky with snow and ice Sunday and Monday.
Between November and March, highway response teams across Kentucky work weekly on-call rotations. Teams monitor weather reports until the call is made to activate the state’s arsenal of snow-fighting equipment, which includes more than 1,000 snow plows, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
If you must go out, here’s what to know if you encounter a snow plow on the road in Kentucky, including whether passing one could earn you a ticket.
Is it legal to pass a snow plow in Kentucky?
Unlike other states that get plenty of snow every winter, Kentucky does not have specific laws on passing snow plows, but that doesn’t mean it’s advisable.
As always when you’re driving on snowy and icy roads, you should strive to be visible and predictable, drive carefully and leave plenty of room between you and other drivers, but some additional rules apply to snow plows.
According to state guidance from the KYTC, drivers should keep the following in mind when they encounter snow plows on the road:
Be patient and avoid passing the snow plow. The plow will pull over to let you pass once it’s safe to do so.
Be aware of how snow plows work. The vehicles move slowly and create clouds of snow as they pass, limiting visibility. Additionally, operators may not have great visibility themselves.
As a result, you should stay back and allow the snow plow plenty of room to do its job.
If you must go out, make sure to properly clear and scrape your vehicle’s windows.
Could passing a snow plow get me a ticket?
Kentucky’s reckless driving law, laid out in Kentucky Revised Statute 189.290, is broadly defined and establishes drivers must:
Operate their vehicle in a “careful manner.”
Not operate their vehicle in a reckless or negligent manner as to “endanger persons or property in or near a highway, or in or near a highway work zone.
Not operate a vehicle in such a manner as to injure vehicles or equipment located in or near a highway work zone
Kentucky doesn’t seem to have specific laws regarding snow plows, but the state’s reckless driving statute could certainly apply to drivers recklessly passing them.
For a first-time offense, a reckless driving charge can carry a fine between $20 to $100, along with four points against the driver’s license. Drivers who accumulate 12 points against their license within two years can lose their driving privileges, as explained by the law firm of Shumate, Flaherty, Eubanks and Baechtold.
Do you have a question about inclement weather in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.
This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 10:21 AM with the headline "Is it legal to pass a working snow plow in Kentucky? Follow these safety guidelines."