Can you pass a snow plow?

MINNEAPOLIS – It’s that time of year, and a WCCO viewer D.J. from Shakopee asked us this Good Question: Can you pass plows?

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) says there is some flexibility when it comes to their fleet.

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“It’s not a simple answer, but a majority of the time we tell you it’s better to stay back. It’s safer for you, and it’s safer for our crews,” said MnDOT’s Anne Meyer.

She says MnDOT has about 100 plow crashes a year. She says visibility and wing blades make passing a dicey decision.

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“You don’t know really what’s going on ahead of that snow plow, so that makes it challenging to pass,” Meyer said.

As for a lighter snow day?

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“If it’s a dry day, if they’re on one side of the roadway, there’s plenty of room to pass a plow, that’s an OK situation,” she said.

But the ideal situation: “Stay back, stay alive.”

Meyer says she is speaking on plow rules for MnDOT plows, but says the rules may vary for county or city trucks.