This week I wanted to share some information about sharing the road with snowplows! Did you know that in 2019, Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 19-1265 (Tandem Snowplow Law )into law? The law increases penalties for motorists who pass snowplows. It is now a Class A traffic offense to pass a snowplow operated by a state, county, or local agency when the truck is displaying its lights and operating in a tandem formation with one or more snowplows.
Bow to the Plow!
In addition to never passing a snowplow in a tandem formation, there are two other dangerous maneuvers that all motorists must avoid for their own safety and others’:
Tailgating — Plows need to drop de-icer and sand, so make sure you stay back 3-4 car lengths of space. If you follow too close, de-icer and sand could hit your car.
You also never know when a plow might need to stop suddenly, so make sure you have plenty of room to do the same.
Passing on the Right — Never a good idea! Plows are designed to push all the snow, slush, rocks, and other debris to the right.
All that debris could damage your car and obstruct visibility.
Take a look at this video below…
In 2019, Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 19-1265 into law, increasing penalties for motorists who pass snowplows.
It is now a Class A traffic offense to pass a snowplow operated by a state, county, or local agency when the truck is displaying its lights and operating in a tandem formation with one or more snowplows.
What is “Tandem Formation”?
When snowplows operate in tandem formation, multiple plows are staggered diagonally to cover all lanes and clear the entire roadway in one sweep. Each snowplow is stationed behind and to the right or left of the unit ahead. This is the safest and most efficient snow removal method.
It is extremely dangerous for motorists to try and pass plows in this formation because you could encounter white-out conditions and ridges of snow between lanes.
A snowplow usually is chugging along at 35 miles per hour, depending on the conditions. As they plow, the trucks also create a snow cloud that brings white-out conditions around the truck.
