20 January 2024
RUSSELL, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas Department of Transportation employees working to keep the roads clear face dangers.
Last week, a KDOT snow plow operator was on the shoulder of Interstate 70, clearing snow, when a semi-truck crashed into the back, causing the driver to lose control of his plow. The impact shot across several lanes.
“Dump trucks run into from behind; it’s something that I think every state DOT experiences, and we continue to try and enhance the lighting systems on our dump trucks; we’ve added white lights,” said KDOT Director of Field Operations Clay Adams.
The snow plow can create the effect of a snow cloud behind the truck, making visibility difficult. Adams says that just like emergency vehicles, the correct thing to do is move over lanes as soon as you can to give them the space needed to work.
“Knowing how flat and straight this stretch of Interstate 70 was, I would think a motorist approaching a plow truck from behind and noticed that there was a snow cloud, that they would’ve slowed down and moved into the passing lane,” said Adams.
Adams said the plow operator was able to lift the plow off the ground and regain control, pulling over, out of traffic.
The driver of the snow plow was not hurt in the accident. He hopes this close call makes people more aware of crews working on the road.