Use care when passing semis on the highway
Published on January 27, 2026 at 2:45pm EST | Author: frazeevergas
0Ask A Trooper
Sgt. Jesse Grabow
Question: I travel a lot and I see a number of people making some poor choices when it comes to passing semis and large vehicles. There is no way these big rigs can stop in time when people do these unsafe maneuvers. Can you write about this?
Answer: A commercial vehicle is a motor vehicle or a combination of motor vehicles that weighs more than 26,000 pounds and is used to transport passengers or property. Buses, including school buses of all sizes, and smaller vehicles with hazardous materials placards are also considered commercial vehicles.
Before passing a commercial vehicle, make sure you have safe clearance to the side, behind and ahead of your vehicle.
• Passing on a level highway: It takes three to five seconds longer to pass a commercial vehicle than a car. Allow enough time to pass and return to the right lane before coming within 100 feet of oncoming traffic.
• Do not pass: If you plan to exit or turn off the road soon, stay behind the commercial vehicle until you reach the exit.
• Passing while going uphill: Commercial vehicles often lose speed on an upgrade, making them
easier to pass than a car.
• Passing while going downhill: Commercial vehicles increase speed on a downgrade. Allow more
distance to pass.
• Complete your pass quickly: Do not remain alongside the commercial vehicle. Move back into
your lane only when you can see the front of the commercial vehicle in your rearview mirror. Maintain your speed after passing.
• When a commercial vehicle passes you: Keep to the far side of your lane and slightly reduce your
speed. Do not speed up while the commercial vehicle is passing.
• Meeting a commercial vehicle from the opposite direction: Stay as far to the right as possible to
avoid a sideswipe crash and reduce wind turbulence between the vehicles. Turbulence will push
the vehicles away from each other, not toward each other.
• Judging speed and distance: Because of their large size, commercial vehicles often appear to be
traveling slower than they actually are. Many car-commercial vehicle collisions occur at intersections because the driver of the car misjudges the speed and distance of the commercial vehicle.
A portion of state statutes were used with permission from the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at 1000 Highway 10 West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2205. (You can follow him on “X” @MSPPIO_NW or reach him at, jesse.grabow@state.mn.us).