Did you know it’s against the law to drive with mounds of snow on your roof, trunk and/or hood?
For several years, even as recently as this morning, I’ve seen people driving with piles of snow on their cars. Running late is not a good excuse, laziness is a more realistic description.
Most of the offenders I’ve seen have sedans, yet most SUVs and “mini-vans” are cleared. So, WHY?
Come on, people, I’m nearly 70 years old, my Subaru Forester is taller than I am, and I clean it off completely, before I leave the driveway, no matter how early in the morning I have to leave the house. Preparation includes covering the windshield and rear window before the snow (or sleet) begins to fall, so I won’t have to deal with scraping windows and disturbing the neighbors’ baby with the noise.
I clean off the roof and hood with a compressed foam 18″ snobroom with a telescoping handle. I can push the snow off the highest point easily without scratching the paint. Then I pull off the two window covers before pushing the snow off the hood. (The windshield cover has little pouches that also cover the mirrors, so I never have to worry about ice or fog hindering my view.) The specks of snow on the bumpers can be swiped off with a gloved hand and I’m ready to go.
So If a senior can do all of this in less than 10 minutes on an SUV, why can’t a 20-30-40-something do the same to a little car?
I can drive without fear of being ticketed. The 20-30-40-something with the snow and ice missiles ready to launch from the roof is in jeopardy of causing an accident and/or getting a pricy traffic ticket.
That said, here’s what you should consider before you drive with a snow covered vehicle.
It’s The Law
Connecticut is one of a handful of Northeast states with a law regarding snow and ice removal from vehicles.
Although this law has been on the books for more than 10 years, news outlets and police departments note that it bears repeating. Public Act 13-102 states that failure to remove accumulated ice/snow from a vehicle may result in fines that range from $75 to 1,250. This should be deterrent enough to allocate the necessary time to deicing and removing snow from cars.
Source: UCONN LAW website.