Snowy Conditions and the Law

Kalli · ‎03-11-2010

News segment this morning stated it's the law that snow must be cleaned off vehicles before drivers venture out. If a car/truck has snow on the top and it flies off and causes an accident, the driver of the snowy vehicle is at fault

I use the interstate every day. I see chunks of snow flying off vehicles regularly during the winter, especially from 18 wheelers. I don't think drivers know when snow flies off their vehicle because it affects those behind them. Also, it doesn't seem likely the offending driver would ever actually be found and charged.

I wondered if anyone has ever heard of someone being charged with this kind of accident?

-Kalli

JustJules · ‎06-25-2013

I haven't heard of anyone being charged with that as a crime, but I agree that it should be an offense that you get ticketed for with points against your license. My car is parked outside but if I have to go somewhere after it's been snowing or freezing rain, I always take time to warm up and defrost my car and wipe off all the snow. It's dangerous for both the driver and everyone around them. Not just snow blowing off the roof of the car, but people not defrosting or scraping ice from their windows for proper visibility. I saw someone last week after our big snow, their car looked like a giant snowball, it had over a foot of snow piled up on its roof, and none of the windows were scraped or defrosted. The driver had only bothered to scrape two tiny peep holes in the front windshield. That really annoyed me because it is so unsafe. That driver can't see what's coming from behind them or either side of them, can't use their side view mirrors. Their only view was from the front and even that would be impaired. They were probably running late and didn't have time to defrost their car, but it's not worth it for the accidents it could cause.

ETA: I guess the only way someone would be caught is if someone witnessed the snow blowing off the roof and reported it, or if a patrol officer saw it happen.

Luv2Decorate · ‎03-12-2010

In Michigan, we get a lot of snow and many drive around with snow on their cars. I don't because I park in our garage. I don't know how they stand it when they can't see out of the windows.

As for semi's, I don't know how they get on top of the trailer and clear it off. It's best to keep your distance away from them when traveling down the highway.

violann · ‎03-10-2010

It's the law in NJ but I have never heard of it being enforced, and I HAVE seen chunks of snow AND ice fly off cars and hit the drivers behind them.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

The year DH retired we drove our camper to Florida - he was driving the truck towing the ffth wheel and I was following him in the car. I can tell you for sure that following that fifth wheel down the highway was like following a mobile blizzard. It took a couple of hours for it all to blow off the roof of that camper, then , at the end ice chunks were coming off and we had to stop and he had to go up on the roof and push them off. It is definately a danger and I agree with the law. I agree it is best for many reasons to stay way back when following semis down the road for many reasons - including snow. When we are driving between pa and Fl each year what we see people doing badly most often is following the vehicle in front of them too closely. When I took driver's ed back in the dinosaur days the emphasised how many feet it takes to stop at various speeds.Apparently many weren't paying attention to that.

Peaches McPhee · ‎04-19-2010

All of us that live in snowy states probably have a story about seeing someone that did not even try to remove the snow. You know the guy -- the one with a small circle to see out of the windshield, the rest of the car covered in snow. That guy is a menace.

-- pro-aging --

Rochester, New York

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

It might be a law but I'd like to see them enforce it. I can't imagine many truck drivers are going to climb on top of the trailer and clear the snow. It's not going to happen. And unless someone witnesses the snow/ice flying off a vehicle and gets the plate number to report it, how will they be able to catch the offender?

I saw some idiot yesterday while I was driving to work in a blizzard and his entire back window was completely snow covered. There is no way he could see anything behind him. I don't know how anyone could drive like that or why you'd want too. I've also seen people driving with the tiniest area on their windshield cleared. It's just enough for them to see out of straight ahead.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/3/2014 violann said: It's the law in NJ but I have never heard of it being enforced, and I HAVE seen chunks of snow AND ice fly off cars and hit the drivers behind them.

I'm in NJ and recently we discussed this at the hair dresser. A number of ladies knew people who'd been pulled over and warned.

QueenDanceALot · ‎04-18-2013

Good! Not that it's going to be easy to enforce. Just like people talking and texting on their phones while they're driving.

It really s*cks when you're driving in less than good conditions and somebody's roof snow ends up on your windshield.

brii · ‎06-20-2010

The other day we had icy rain. I was scraping off my windshield and a girl next to me was trying to scrape hers off with a credit card. Apparently, she doesn't own a scraper. I had an extra one and gave it to her.

People are not prepared for these weather conditions.