Drivers in Philadelphia and New Jersey are well-versed in the perils of winter driving. From black ice to heavy snowfall, getting behind the wheel during the winter months can be a nerve-wracking experience—especially when a driver around you has neglected to clear snow accumulation from the top of their vehicle.
Sudden braking or a high rate of speed can cause these accumulations to slide off the vehicle’s roof and come crashing down onto your car. These “ice missiles” can be extremely dangerous. Ice missiles have been known to cause accidents when motorists attempt to swerve around them. There have even been cases in which a sheet of loosened snow has crashed through a driver’s windshield, causing a fatal accident.
PA NJ Laws Requiring Snow Removal from Vehicles
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, removing snow from your car before you hit the road isn’t just common courtesy—it’s the law.
Pennsylvania has had a snow removal law in place for vehicles since 2006. If you drive without removing snow and ice from your car, and the falling snow or ice causes an accident as you drive, you face a maximum $1,000 fine in addition to potential liability in a civil lawsuit. The law was passed after a Pennsylvania woman died due to ice crashing through her vehicle after sliding off the roof of a tractor-trailer.
New Jersey also has a mandatory ice and snow removal law for motorists. Motorists in the Garden State can be fined up to $75 for driving with ice and snow on their vehicles. If ice and snow falls and causes property damage or injury, drivers can be fined up to $1,000 for each offense.
Snow Removal Systems for Semi-Trucks
Due to their large size, semi-trucks are particularly at risk for dangerous build-ups of ice and snow. According to some in the trucking industry, heavy accumulations of ice and snow can also affect a truck’s fuel efficiency. In extreme cases, snow and ice can even cause a truck’s trailer to collapse under the weight.
This has led some commercial carrier companies to begin using stationary plowing devices that clear the snow and ice from a truck’s trailer. As trucks move under the devices, an arm swings out and scrapes the snow and ice from the truck’s trailer.
Read more about semi-truck accidents:
Do Older Truck Drivers Put Us All at Risk?
What to Do after a Hit and Run
Hurt in a Truck Accident? Call a Philadelphia NJ Truck Accident Law Firm
Few people enjoy driving in the snow. The winter can be beautiful, but it’s a frightening time to drive. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Philadelphia or New Jersey, contact an experienced Philadelphia truck accident lawyer to discuss your rights. Protect your right to receive compensation for your injuries by contacting a truck accident lawyer right away.
Call Philadelphia and New Jersey truck accident lawyer Rand Spear today at 888-373-4LAW today to discuss your case with an experienced truck accident attorney.
Call or text (215) 985-2424 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
