New Delaware Legislation Could Allow Police to Ticket Drivers If They Don’t Clean Snow or Ice Off Their Vehicles
This article originally written by Digital Content Intern Yusra Asif. Asif, is a senior media communications major at the University of Delaware, working as the associate news editor at The Review and a broadcast news reporter at the Student Television Network at UD.
With ice sheets sliding off the car roofs straight onto the windshield as the drivers put their foot on the brakes — a common phenomenon following a snowstorm, Delaware now has new legislation in place.
Introduced by Senate leader Sen. Bryan Towsend, drivers will now be penalized for not cleaning ice gathered on the top of their vehicles.
“The legislation creates a civil penalty for violating this new law, which requires people to clear snow and ice off their car before they drive after a snow event,” Towsend said, according to WDEL. “People just need to be more responsible in clearing their car off, and this gives law enforcement a toll to have people be discouraged from driving without taking this very common sense step.”
The charges will be decided based on whether injury or property damage occurs — ranging from $25 to $1000 for non-commercial vehicles and $500 to 415,00 for commercial vehicles.
Police officers are instructed to ticket drivers as soon as they see snow atop their vehicles, even before an actual accident takes place. No more than one ticket per day will be allowed and the violations will not be registered on the driver’s record.
Currently the bill is out of the committee and is awaiting consideration in the Senate’s Transportation Committee.
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