Did You Know That Driving With Snow On Your Car Is Illegal In 11 States?

Southern Living ^ | Jan 10, 2025 | Meghan Overdeep Meghan Overdeep, Senior Staff Writer Meghan Overdeep Meghan Overdeep has more than a

[where's_the_Outrage?]

It doesn’t matter how big of a rush you’re in, you should always take the extra time to clear snow and ice from the roof of your car before pulling it out of the driveway. It might seem harmless, but driving a car with remnants of that winter storm on it is so dangerous that it’s been made illegal in 11 states.

Keep reading to find out why you should never drive with snow or ice on your car.

Don’t stop at your windshield. For your safety and the safety of other motorists, you should always, always remove snow and ice from the entirety of your car prior to driving it. That hunk of frozen snow on the roof of your car might not bother you, but it can pose a danger to other drivers on the road as well as a serious risk to your visibility.........

It is mandated by law to clear ice and snow from a vehicle before driving it in the following states:

Alaska

Connecticut

Georgia

Massachusetts

Michigan

New Hampshire

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Wisconsin

In these states, a fine or even a misdemeanor can result whether or not a driver causes harm to another driver.

[shotgun]

My John Deere skid steer was frozen to the ground yesterday. Had to use the bucket to break it free.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

[BipolarBob]

You don’t have a shed or shop building to house it?

[suthener]

I’m running my truck right now to melt the 4 inches of snow off the windshield after which I’m going to cover it with something so the windshield won’t be frozen over in the morning when it’s 15 degrees. THIS IS IN SOUTH ALABAMA!!!

[Wuli]

Ice or icy snow flying off the car in front of you on the highway has been known to crack windshields.

[Manic_Episode]

If the snow is not wet it will blow off by about 70 mph.

I like being a one man blizzard for that first mile.

[SoConPubbie]

Its also illegal in Idaho!

[woodbutcher1963]

In New Hampshire it is called Jessica’s Law.
Named for a young girl who died in a auto accident.

“A piece of ice about nine (9) feet long flew off of a tractor-trailer, smashing into a box truck that veered into Jessica’s vehicle killing her.”

https://pmmlawyers.com/jessicas-law-why-its-important-to-clear-your-roof-of-snow-and-ice/

[stevio]

I like being a one man blizzard for that first mile.

I'm with you brother!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

And no one pays any attention to that law unless the po-po need to fill their ticket quota or they just feel like harassing you.

The chances of snow coming off your car doing any harm is so small that it is pretty much zero.

Now a box truck that has had a sheet of snow and ice frozen in the roof may, possibly, do some damage if it comes off. But chances of it happening are so low as to be only slightly above zero. You have a far bigger possibility of being hit by a tire coming to pieces and no one seems to be writing articles about that.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

I had a truck in front of me yesterday spraying snow all over my car and other cars behind him, including big chunks flying off. Cars had to keep a significant distance behind him to not have their windows covered in the spraying snow and ice.

[NorthMountain]

That hunk of frozen snow on the roof of your car has, in the past, flown off your car and hit mine. Thanks, jerk!

[frank ballenger]

The pushy politicians pass laws on lots of things but not on punishing the people we need protection from.
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True story. A guy friend of mine received an arrest ticket to appear in court for “swearing in front a woman.” She was listening; he was swearing at another guy. This was in 1965 in Detroit.
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I got a jaywalking ticket for crossing with about five other guys across the wide Detroit street Gratiot (6 driving lanes and two parking lanes) between the bus stop and the connecting bus stop on the opposite side, not at the far away crosswalk. People going to the distant intersection stoplight would miss the bus and wait a half hour for the next one. The cops did not give a ticket to the three girls next to us. He said to us guys “They’re just girls. You are men and as men you are supposed to be responsible for what you’re doing.”
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For many decades Michigan had a law still on the books that you had to have someone stand waving a flag on a road at a town’s limits to signal that an automobile was approaching.
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https://blog.linksquares.com/7-outdated-laws-that-you-might-have-broken

[rktman]

Nevada you’re required to clean it off your car prior to driving IIRC.

[woodbutcher1963]

That picture is from Hamburg, NY. A suburb south of Buffalo on the shore of Lake Erie.
The wind blown water encases cars and buildings in ice until the lake typically freezes over.

There is a restaurant/bar there call Hoak’s that is right on the shore. It gets covered in ice every winter.

https://www.hoaksrestaurant.com/about-us

[wally_bert]

https://submit.shutterstock.com/catalog_manager/videos/5516321

Something I did for my stock footage catalog way long ago since I had nothing better going on at the time.

Newer stuff goes to other agencies these days and even makes a sale now and then.

[airborne]

I live in PA, and I’ve seen massive chunks of snow and ice come off of the top of an 18 wheeler trailer, hit a car and cause it to run off the road and into a ditch.

It should be illegal. People can get killed!

[stylin19a]

<>Driving With Snow On Your Car Is Illegal In 11 State<>

can i assume that’s only before one starts driving ?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

My Expedition’s roof rack holds the foot of snow on top of the car very firmly. Usually...then all of a sudden WHOOMP! Big chunks of it slide down the windshield onto the hood.