Can you legally pass a working snow plow in Kentucky? What state law says
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky lacks a specific law banning drivers from passing active snow plows.
- Drivers must obey reckless-driving law; Transportation Cabinet advises keeping back.
- Follow guidance: avoid passing and keep back; plan trips per state advisories.
The ice and snow Winter Storm Fern left across Central Kentucky over the weekend is expected to linger for several days, even as state and local road crews work to clear streets.
During a Monday morning news conference, state officials said road clearing efforts had been hindered by extreme cold. Salt and snow plows are generally less effective at low temperatures. Additionally, there are hazards for drivers across the state, including black ice, fallen debris, stranded vehicles and dark traffic signals, state officials said.
Gov. Andy Beshear urged drivers to think twice about going out on the roads Tuesday morning.
“I do expect, if you are going to commute tomorrow morning, give yourself at least double the amount of time,” Beshear said. “If you can work remotely, if that’s good by your employer, you’re a lot more productive if you can do that on Tuesday than if your car goes off the road and you’re stuck for several hours getting help.”
If you must drive early this week, have a plan, Beshear urged.
“Pack that emergency kit. Pack the blankets. Pack the water. Make sure that your phone is fully charged,” he said.
On your commute to work or the grocery store, you’ll likely encounter at least a few snow plows. Here’s how to share the road with them.
Is it legal to pass a working snow plow in Kentucky?
Some states that regularly see significant snowfall have laws that strictly govern how motorists must share the road with working snow plows.
In Colorado, for example, passing snow plows displaying their lights and operating alongside each other to clear a street is a Class A traffic offense. It’s punishable with a fine of up to $100, plus a surcharge and points against the offending driver’s license. In other states, such as Michigan, drivers must keep back 200 feet from working snow plows or face a fine.
Unlike those states though, Kentucky does not have specific laws on passing snow plows. Still, that doesn’t mean drivers should be constantly weaving between lanes around the trucks, as other elements of Kentucky’s safe driving laws could apply.
At a minimum, you should follow guidance from Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet, which advises drivers to keep the following in mind when they encounter working snow plows:
- Practice patience. Avoid passing the snow plow, it will pull over to let you pass once it’s safe.
- Understand how snow plows work. These vehicles move slowly and create clouds of snow as they pass, which limits visibility on the road. Snow plow operators and other drivers on the road may not have great visibility.
- Keep back. Snow plows need plenty of room to do their work. Maintain several car-lengths worth of distance between you and the plow.
When could passing a slow plow earn me a ticket?
While Kentucky doesn’t appear to have a law governing passing snow plows in particular, there are several statutes drivers should be aware of, including the state’s reckless driving law.
Kentucky Revised Statute 189.290, is broadly defined, but it requires drivers to operate their vehicle in a “careful manner” with regard for “the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other vehicles upon the highway.”
The law also requires drivers refrain from operating their vehicle in a reckless or negligent manner that endangers “persons or property in or near a highway, or in or near a highway work zone.”
Under KRS 189.990, which outlines penalties for many of the state’s traffic laws, violating the reckless driving law can be punished with a fine between $20 and $100. More serious violations, including those that result in injuries, can be subject to a $500 fine, Kentucky law states.
Additionally, state regulation attaches a 4-point penalty against a driver’s license for those who drive recklessly. Drivers can lose their license if they accumulate 12 points within two years under Kentucky’s point system.