A Snow Storm From The Plow Seat

FORT PIERRE — South Dakota Department of Transportation snow plows haven’t had much of a work out this winter. However Wednesday’s blast of heavy, wet snow made for hazardous conditions even for plow standards. Slushy slop spraying the windshield, snow blindness and motorists over driving road conditions were all obstacles veteran Lead Maintenance Worker Bob Carrico had thrown his way until the snow caught up with him…

Carrico was plowing U-S Highway 83 up a hill south of Fort Pierre when he came across two semis in the ditch and a Stanley County Deputy in the middle of the highway. Carrico slipped just off the road trying to avoid the deputy. That took his plow out of the fight for nearly two hours. He says days like Wednesday are not normal…

Before Carrico’s plow got stuck, the Department’s Pierre tow plow Lewis and Clark was sidelined temporarily after a part on a plow blade broke going over railroad tracks. Carrico says he has close encounters with drivers nearly every time he plows…

Carrico works hard to adjust his driving to the other vehicles on the road…

Carrico says drivers should try and stay at least four car lengths behind a snow plow. His normal route is Fort Pierre to Vivian on Highway 83. It’s a round trip that takes you or I 60 minutes and Carrico nearly 2 hours driving at 25 to 35 miles per hour.