How To Safely Share The Road With Military Convoys

It's that time of year again, when if you are driving in Minnesota, you might run into a military convoy while traveling. But, what do you do when you run into one? Are you allowed to pass? Here are the best practices for you to remember if and when you run into a convoy on a Minnesota roadway.

Camp Ripley Trains Year Round

In our neck of the woods, Camp Ripley, is just a hop, skip, and a jump from St. Cloud, so running into a training convoy is pretty common while traveling at different times of the year. I've always been hesitant when encountering a convoy about what the correct thing to do is.

You should know that Camp Ripley is always being used for training exercises, year-round, even in the winter, so seeing a long line of vehicles is quite common.

Get our free mobile app

Luckily, the information I found seems to be more commonsense than you might think. Here are some of the things you should do if you run into a convoy on one of the many roads leading to Camp Ripley or any military site in the US.

What You Do When You See A Military Convoy On The Road

• Yield the right of way if necessary - If the convoy you encounter is on a two-lane road, you should look to yield the right of way to them. You would want to do this for two reasons. One, you can't be sure as to what they are doing, they might be headed to a training exercise, OR it could be something else. National Guard units are the most common sight when you see a convoy on the road, and they can be deployed for a variety of reasons, including aiding in a natural disaster.
• Maintain a safe distance - Military vehicles are much larger and heavier than standard passenger vehicles, so they will need more room to drive as well as more room to stop if needed. Give them plenty of room on the road.
• Don't cut in or merge into the convoy - It can be tempting to weave in and out of a convoy, as they often leave large spaces between vehicles, but they are doing that for a reason; they are bigger and need more time to stop. By entering the convoy, you could be creating a dangerous situation on the road. It's best to go around safely on a multilane road or yield the right of way to let them pass.
• Be patient - The chances are higher that when you see a convoy, its members of the National Guard driving them, which means that the drivers of these vehicles might not be driving them regularly/daily. Be patient with our men and women of the armed forces, as they are doing their best to get to their destination as safely and as fast as possible.
• Be aware of your surroundings - Make sure you are aware of where you are when encountering a convoy, if you know the road goes from 3 lanes to 2, people are going to have to get over or slow down to let the convoy in, also if you are close to the Camp Ripley area they might be turning into the base outside the main gate area, for training, don't assume you know where they are going, stay alert.

Follow Instructions If They Are Given

Sometimes, like in cases of natural disaster, the National Guard might be deployed for assistance or security. Make sure you are following all instructions that are given, as they aren't just talking to hear their own voice, there is a reason they are giving those instructions.

Finally, be courteous to our friends and neighbors who serve here and abroad. We get to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave because of what they do for us. Whether that is one weekend a month or for the length of their active service, they are putting it all on the line for us when they are called upon.