It’s now law in Pennsylvania: Clear those cars of snow and ice
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Rachel Cravotta doesn’t think a new state law regulating snow- and ice-covered vehicles will change the way she gets her Mercedes GLS 550 ready on snowy mornings this winter.
“I have a pretty big SUV — even if I gave it my all, I don’t think I could reach the whole roof,” said Cravotta, a native Pittsburgher who lives in Swisshelm Park. “Who has the time, when you’re rushing in the morning, to clear snow from their whole car?”
Under the new measure, which Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law this summer, Cravotta and others could be facing fines if they leave snow or ice on their vehicle more than 24 hours after a heavy snowfall.
Named Christine’s Law, its sponsor, state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton, hopes it prevent tragedies like that of Christine Lambert, a Palmer Township woman killed on Christmas Day 2005 when a large piece of ice dislodged from a passing box truck and crashed through her windshield.
“The law would require you to remove snow and ice from your vehicle and allow police to have the discretion whether to pull you over if they feel you’re a threat to the highway, with snow and ice accumulated on your vehicle or tractor-trailor,” Boscola said. “I’m so thrilled for the Lambert family — they advocated so hard for this.”
A violation of Christine’s Law will carry a $50 fine per offense, but fines dramatically escalate — ranging from $200 to $1,500 fine per offense — when snow or ice falls from a moving vehicle and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian causing death or serious bodily injury.
Contrary to initial media reports, it does not appear that police could ticket Pennsylvanians for having a snow-covered car in their driveways or on the street more than 24 hours after a snowfall.
“A driver of a motor vehicle or motor carrier vehicle being operated on a highway of this commonwealth shall make reasonable efforts to remove accumulated ice or snow from the motor vehicle or motor carrier vehicle, including the hood, trunk and roof of the motor vehicle,” State Police trooper Rocco S. Gagliardi told the Tribune-Review.
“Snow and ice can be a major hazard for other drivers,” he said. “We ask that you take the extra couple of minutes and clear the snow off of your vehicle so that way nothing can blow off, over, or onto another vehicle while in motion. By taking these extra steps of precaution we lead to safer driving experiences for everyone.”
That might be more of an issue for a state trooper policing Pennsylvania’s highways than a rank-and-file cop working an urban beat.
Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Amanda Mueller said snow removal on vehicles “isn’t something that has been a problem here in the past.”
“Of course, safety is always our number one priority, and police will address this issue as needed,” Mueller said.
The promise of enforcement doesn’t offer much comfort to Cravotta, the SUV driver from Swisshelm Park.
“I don’t see police enforcing clearing the sidewalks, and there are so many people who don’t abide by that,” Cravotta said. “To be honest: Do you really think it’s going to be enforced? I don’t think you’re going to pull over every other car.”