A dash cam video shows a semi truck sideswiping a snow plow in Utah, sending it across oncoming traffic, through a guard rail, and over a 300 foot embankment.
Terry Jacobson, the snow plow driver, had over 23 years of experience on the job.
“A semi truck decided to pass him on the right-hand side. That truck clipped the plow and sent the plow across oncoming traffic,” narrowly missing potential head-on crashes, said Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation to the Salt Lake Tribune.
“He went through the guardrail,” he said. “And then it went down 300 feet of embankment, rolling several times.”
Jacobson, who was wearing a seat belt, survived but still remains in the hospital with serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
A driver coming from the opposite direction caught the accident on video with his dash camera. UDOT distributed the video Friday.
Neil Lundell, a snow plow supervisor, said he spoke to Jacobson Friday after the accident.
“He doesn’t remember very much, other than going through the rail and rolling down the hill,” Lundell said.
Lundell said UDOT asks drivers not to pass snow plows, but drivers often ignore the warnings.
Jacobson’s accident was the fourth time this winter that vehicles have hit snow plows while trying to pass them.
The semi driver was ticketed for improper passing and failure to stay in his lane, KSTU reported.
UDOT is in the process of investigating the accident, but they said that the semi driver lost visibility while trying to get around the plow.
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