Driving With Snow and Ice On Your Vehicle Can Get You Larger Fine In CNY

The NYS Senate proposed an amendment to the 2008 traffic law requiring motor vehicles to be cleared of accumulated snow and ice or risk getting a ticket and fined up to $850.00.

On January 9, 2013, the people of NYS allowed a Senate amendment for a law to promote safe driving in the winter months. Have you ever been behind a car covered in snow and ice and it's all flying onto your windshield? Pretty scary.

CNYCentral reports more than 60 windshields were broken in the last snowstorm due to ice flying off vehicles.

What happens quite often is that you're not aware of who the other person is, whether they're passing you, you're passing them, and again, that person may not know that ice came from their vehicle,” said Trooper Jack Keller with the New York State Police [CNYCentral]

Insurance experts recommend checking your policy to make sure it covers repairs for a shattered windshield.

The law says you must clear all the snow and ice off your entire vehicle before driving it. The vehicle and traffic law proposed amendment includes a new section 1229-e to read as follows:

S 1229-E. CLEARANCE OF SNOW, SLEET, AND HAIL

1. NO PERSON SHALL OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC STREET OR HIGHWAY WHILE THERE IS AN ACCUMULATION OF SNOW, SLEET, OR HAIL ON THE ROOF OR CARGO BED SURFACES THEREOF, WHETHER OF ANY OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT, TRAILER, OR OTHER CARGO COMPARTMENT IN EXCESS OF THREE INCHES.
2. THE REMOVAL OF ACCUMULATED SNOW, SLEET, OR HAIL REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY DURING THE FALLING OF SNOW, SLEET, OR HAIL OR WITHIN THREE HOURS AFTER THE CESSATION OF THE FALLINGTHEREOF.
3. (A) THE OPERATOR OF A NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IN VIOLATION OF THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, EXCLUDING A DISABLED OPERATOR, SHALL BE
SUBJECT TO A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS NOR MORE THAN EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.

The vehicle and traffic law could expire on September 1, 2024. Those ticketed with snow and ice on their car could receive a fine ranging from $150.00 - $850.00. The money will then go to the "snow and ice removal fund" the DOT and the New York State Thruway Authority,

The picture above was a car turning off Commercial Drive into the New Hartford Consumer Square. Suprised?