It’s that time of year when all that white stuff falls from the sky in large quantity making the roads slick and slow. Snow, especially in the Southern states, makes driving a large truck a dangerous job. Not only are the road conditions dangerous, but you also have to pay more attention to the drivers around you.
So far the winter this year has proven to be intense with the Mid-Atlantic region receiving about 2 feet of fresh snow in late January. Now, many lawmakers and state police are requiring truck drivers to remove snow completely from their trucks before hitting the road. State Police from Pennsylvania to Vermont have pulled trucks over and ticketed them for not removing snow and ice from their trucks.
Recently Senator Lisa Boscola of Pennsylvania has reintroduced a bill that would allow police to stop a trucker if they believe the snow or ice accumulated on the truck poses a threat to persons or property. The bill, Pennsylvania Senate Bill 94, states that any driver of a vehicle of a gross weight exceeding 48,000 pounds has “an affirmative duty to make all reasonable efforts to remove all accumulate ice or snow from the motor vehicle.” This includes the roofs of both tractors and trailers.
Each occurrence could cost truck drivers between $25 and $75. If a chunk of snow or ice does fall from a moving vehicle and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian causing death or serious bodily injury, fines range from $200 to $1,000 for each offense.
Other states have begun to look at snow removal laws too. For example, the New York State legislation has recently introduced a bill to address the snow and ice accumulation on vehicles. Some states like Connecticut, New Jersey, and Wisconsin already have laws on the book that could cost you anywhere from a few hundred dollars upwards to a couple thousand.
While removing ice and snow from the tops of your truck and trailer is no easy task, it is one that could save many lives. Plus, it could save you a lot of money. Both the Pennsylvania and New York bills are currently in legislature so they might not even become real laws. However, it is important to stay informed of both new and current laws in various states in regards of snow removal.
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