As you start your morning commute, you discover that a few inches of snow fell the night before. Not only that, but morning dew has coated it with ice, freezing it to your car’s surface. You’ve got to hit the highway or you’ll be late! In a pinch, you scrape off your windows for enough visibility, but ignore the roof and trunk, believing it will melt off on the way to work.
Unfortunately, the “melting” that occurs on the road creates a major hazard for you and other drivers, reducing visibility, sending projectiles behind and increasing your likelihood of getting into an accident. If you think that skipping this step in the short term will help you in the long run, think again!
Dangers of Driving with Snow on Your Roof
While no one likes having to scrape snow and ice off their vehicle the morning after a snowstorm, it’s a necessity for everyone’s safety. Connecticut, along with 10 other states, have snow removal laws for drivers. The buildup can block your view and creates a hazard for other drivers when it flies off your roof.
In Connecticut, the law concerning snow accumulation on your car states the windshield should be free of obstructions. Drivers can also be fined for ice and snow falling from their car’s roof, as it can endanger other motorists and pedestrians or cause damage to property.
Before you’re tempted to take a chance and leave your driveway without cleaning off the accumulation, here’s what you should know about the dangers of driving with ice and snow on your car.
Decreased Visibility
One of the more prominent risks, driving with snow on your car can decrease visibility. As a result, your chances of hitting another car, pedestrian or colliding with property increases.
As you start to drive, once-stubborn snow and ice covering your roof begins to melt, sliding down the front and rear windows. Even for a split second, this can obscure your view. You may not be able to fully see any other vehicles, animals or people traveling toward you.
At the same time, large chunks can become airborne when they fall off your roof or trunk, turning into projectiles that can hit the vehicles behind.
As another risk, snow accumulation on your hood can fly up toward your window, obstructing your view with a powdery cloud. When ice on the road is added into the picture, you can quickly lose control if you can’t clearly see what’s ahead, making you a hazard to everyone else.
Dangers to Other Drivers
Large sheets or chunks of ice can fly off a vehicle in all directions. These chunks may hit the pavement by the side of the road, but may also travel toward another vehicle or a pedestrian waiting to cross the street.
Also known as “ice missiles”, these hard pieces can damage windshields when traveling at high speeds or distances. In more extreme cases, the impact may be strong enough to completely shatter the glass and injure the driver or passengers inside a car.
Secondarily, the lack of predictability on where these flying chunks of ice will land can cause other drivers to swerve to get out of the way. These drivers may collide with other motorists or property and, on a very slippery roadway, there’s a higher risk of losing control.
What Happens If You Ignore the Snow Risks When You Drive in Winter?
By now, it’s clear that failing to remove snow and ice from your car can create serious dangers — not just for you, but for everyone on the road. But what exactly are the risks you face when you choose to drive without fully clearing your vehicle? From real-time hazards to legal consequences, here’s what every driver should know before brushing off this critical winter safety step.
1. Safety Hazards
Falling snow and sliding ice pose several roadway dangers together, including:
- Especially when you’re driving at high speeds, snow and ice can fly off your roof or trunk, creating what’s known as an “ice projectile.” When this hazard hits another motorist behind you, it can temporarily decrease their visibility, damage their windshield or cause them to swerve. On an icy road, this may lead to an accident.
- When snow and ice start to melt, pieces may slide down your own windshield, blocking your visibility when you’re attempting to navigate slippery roads and unforeseen hazards ahead.
- When ice and snow slide off at a fast speed, other drivers have less time to react.
- Many drivers only scrape off part of their windows. Although time-saving, this shortcut decreases your field of vision. Snow and ice buildup can prevent you from seeing other drivers, increases your blind spot, reaction time and chances you’ll get into an accident.
- When tractor trailers aren’t cleared, the ice and snow just don’t slide off a roof – they fall from a significantly greater height. This phenomenon has been known to severely damage drivers’ cars or, worse, result in a fatality. To combat this danger, many truck companies now use goal post-shaped tools to scrape accumulation off the tops of commercial vehicles.
2. Fines
In many states, including Connecticut, neglecting to clean the snow off your car before driving is illegal. As a result, depending on where you’re driving, you could be faced with fines for posing a hazard or damaging property.
In Connecticut, drivers are required to remove all snow and ice from their vehicle’s hood, windows, trunk and roof to the point it no longer poses a hazard. In Connecticut, General Statute Section 14-252(a), passed in 2010 and updated in 2013, applies to both personal and commercial vehicles. What can happen when you don’t clear off your car?
- If your vehicle isn’t adequately cleaned off, you’ll be fined $75.
- For non-commercial vehicles, if falling or sliding ice and snow result in property damage or personal injury, you may be fined anywhere from $200 to $1,000.
- For commercial vehicles in a similar scenario, drivers will be fined anywhere from $500 to $1,250.
Keep in mind that, once a driver pays the fine, he or she is still responsible for the cost of any property damage or injuries to other motorists.
However, under Connecticut law, a driver isn’t responsible for snow or ice accumulation on his or her vehicle under the following conditions:
- The car or truck is parked
- Ice or snow is accumulating as a motorist travels through a storm.
What Does the Law in Connecticut Say About Keeping Snow off Your Vehicle?
To help reduce these risks and keep everyone safe in unpredictable winter weather conditions, Connecticut’s General Statute Section 14-252(a) requires both commercial and non-commercial drivers to clean ice and snow off their vehicles before traveling on the road. This includes the roof, trunk and hood. Motorists spotted without thoroughly cleaning off their vehicle will be fined.
Should the ice fly off and hit another vehicle or person, the fines increase sharply. Non-commercial drivers will face up to $1,000 and commercial drivers up to $1,250. Furthermore, these fines do not cover the cost of property or vehicular damage or any resulting medical bills.
However, the state law makes exceptions. In Connecticut, you won’t be fined if the ice and snow start to accumulate as you’re driving or if your car is parked and accumulation occurs while the vehicle is stationary. Regarding this last point, if you do park then go to drive again, you’ll be expected to clean off all accumulated ice and snow before entering the roadway.
How to Avoid Ice and Snow Buildup
To prevent having to scrape off your car on snow-covered mornings:
- Keep your vehicle covered, especially if the forecast anticipates snow or sleet. If available, park inside a garage or beneath a carport.
- Consider a quicker snow-removal method. Rather than starting with an ice scraper, use a snow broom to brush off any accumulation before going after the ice. This method can further reduce any potential damage to the paint and glass.
- To quickly melt ice, some people recommend spraying the car’s windshield with two parts rubbing alcohol and one part water before ice forms. Rubbing alcohol doesn’t freeze and prevents ice from sticking to the surface. This mixture can also de-ice a frozen windshield the morning after a storm.
Were you or a loved one involved in a winter car accident? If you’re recovering from injuries, you don’t have to go through this difficult time alone. Trantolo & Trantolo’s Connecticut car accident attorneys are here to assist you. To pursue a claim, contact us today!
