You Could Get Fined $1,500 If You Don’t Do This When Driving This Winter

Driving in winter is scary enough. Slick roads, limited visibility and unpredictable weather had me white-knuckling down Minnesota roads for nearly 20 years. But there’s nothing more frightening than seeing a giant sheet of snow and ice come flying off the car in front of you, headed right for your windshield. It happens in a flash, and all you can do is brace for impact.

Next comes a temporary whiteout, followed by fumbling for the windshield wipers. You might try changing lanes to get away, but swerving on an icy road brings its own dangers. (Icy roads and other winter weather conditions play a role in nearly half a million crashes every year, according to the American Automobile Association.)

If you’ve lived in or visited a cold-weather area of the country, you’ve probably seen cars on the road with a foot of snow on the roof or a big icy chunk clinging to the back window. DJ Neumann, director of operations for metro-Detroit auto detailer Speed Clean Services has spent decades dealing with snowy cars and frigid northern roads. Ahead, he’ll tell you what to do before heading out this winter and why not doing it can get you finedor worse.

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What driving behavior will get you fined in winter?

Plenty of things, but in this case, we’re referring to not clearing snow and ice off your car. “Many states have laws aimed at protecting drivers during winter,” Neumann says, and in several places, “it’s against the law to drive with a snow-covered vehicle.” If you’re stopped by the police, the penalties can rack up, especially if the snow or ice breaks free and injures someone or causes property damage.

It’s not just the windshield that must be free and clear, either. You have to clean the whole car. I once arrived at work at the same time as a co-worker, and he had feebly scraped off a single stripe of snow at eyeball height. I don’t think he lived far from the office, but you better believe I gave him a wide berth from then on.

Why is it dangerous not to clear snow off your car?

Snow flying off your car impacts other drivers, sometimes severely. “When you leave snow on top of your car, snow will blow off your roof in front of the cars behind,” Neumann says.

If you think that’s no big deal or that the snow you leave on your hood, windshield or roof will just dissipate gradually in the wind, think again. As a seasoned winter driver, I can assure you that’s not what happens, especially at higher speeds. Instead, the snow blows directly backward, often causing a stressful and dangerous whiteout situation for the driver behind you.

Snow is bad enough. Ice can be worse. “Large chunks of ice can also fly off and damage the car behind you,” Neumann says. Even if the person behind you swerves or otherwise manages to escape damage or injury, someone else on the road might not. A woman in New Hampshire, Jessica Smith, was killed when a nearly 10-foot chunk of ice flew off a tractor trailer and hit a box truck, which then hit her in a chain-reaction wreck.

What is the fine for not cleaning snow off your car?

Fines for not cleaning snow off your car range from a low of $25, for having a snow-covered vehicle, up to $1,500 if ice or snow from your car injures or kills someone or causes property damage.

Keep in mind that no matter where you live, police can ticket and fine you for obstructed views, reckless driving and other related offenses, even if there’s not a specific snow ordinance. For example, Minnesota and Massachusetts consider excess snow to be an unsecured load, with the latter imposing fines from $50 to $200. Other states have similar avenues for fining drivers.

Here are the fines for states with vehicle snow removal laws or laws passed specifically in response to snow and ice incidents.

• Alaska: $50 to $75 for snow-covered lights and windshield; $150 to $500 for driving your car in an unsafe condition.
• Connecticut: $75 for not removing snow and ice; $200 to $1,000 if the dislodged material causes injury or property damage. It’s known as the Ice Missile law.
• Michigan: Up to $100 for allowing snow from your vehicle to fall into the roadway or obstruct the vision of another driver.
• New Hampshire: $250 to $500 for a first offense; $500 to $1,000 for subsequent citations. Known as Jessica’s Law, it doesn’t specifically mention snow in the statute, but the law was passed in response to Jessica Smith’s death from a chunk of ice.
• New Jersey: $25 to $75 for accumulated snow on a vehicle; $200 to $1,000 if snow causes property damage or injury.
• Pennsylvania: $50 for snow accumulation on the hood, trunk and/or roof; $200 to $1,500 if the snow or ice damages property or causes injury or death.
• Rhode Island: $85 for driving a car with “significant amounts” of snow or ice that could obscure the vision of a driver behind you.

In addition, municipalities and even specific highways enforce snow removal laws. The Massachusetts Turnpike, for example, can fine you $100 for uncleared snow on your car, while New York City police could ding you up to $850.

How to clear snow off your car

By now, you know you need to brush the snow off your car to avoid fines and not endanger other drivers. What’s the best way to do it? If you can, plan ahead and give yourself at least 15 minutes to get all the snow off your car. When I first moved to Minnesota, I was late for work after my first big snow event because it didn’t occur to me that brushing off my car would take so long!

Keep a good snow brush and ice scraper in your car at all times. “You’ll find a ton of brushes designed specifically for this use,” Neumann says. Buy one online or at a home improvement store, or do what I did and use a broom. “A soft-bristled broom is really the best for getting snow off,” he says. The long handle is especially helpful if you’re height-challenged or have a tall car.

Here’s how to clear snow off your car:

1. Clear the area around your tailpipe, then start your car. “Running your defroster will make clearing the windows much easier,” Neumann says. If you can’t get in due to ice accumulation, skip this step for now.
2. Push the snow from your roof first, then work your way down. “Nothing is more annoying than clearing snow onto a surface you’ve already cleaned,” Neumann says. “Use a soft-bristle broom to push off the snow while avoiding scratches.”
3. Brush off the windows, then the hood and trunk. When you can, lift up the windshield wipers so you can get underneath them.
4. Use a plastic ice scraper on icy windows if needed. “You still may need to use the ice scraper, but be very careful to use it only on the glass,” Neumann says. “Using an ice scraper on painted surfaces will result in scratches.” If you don’t have a scraper, an old credit card can work in a pinch. Never use a metal scraper or tool.
5. If your doors and locks are frozen shut, try a homemade deicing solution of two parts rubbing alcohol and one part water, Neumann says. You can also use this on glass, but whatever you do: “Do not use hot water to get ice off your car,” he says. “You could crack or shatter the windshield and cause damage to your paint.”

About the expert DJ Neumann is the director of operations at Speed Clean Services, a car detailing and full-service professional cleaning and restoration company in Clinton Township, Michigan. Neumann is tri-master certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification and has worked in operations at Speed Clean Services for 27 years.

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Sources:

• DJ Neumann, director of operations at Speed Clean Services; email interview, Jan. 3, 2025
• American Automobile Association: “A Guide to Snow and Ice Removal Laws”
• American Automobile Association: “Winter Driving Tips”
• Alaska’s News Source: “DOT & PF Reminds Alaskans to Remove Snow Off Car Before Driving”
• City of Lebanon, New Hampshire: “Jessica’s Law”
• Duluth News Tribune: “Ask a Trooper: Is There a Requirement to Remove Snow and Ice Prior to Traveling?”
• Justia: “2023 Connecticut General Statutes, Title 14 Motor Vehicles”
• Justia: “2023 Rhode Island General Laws, Title 31 Motor and Other Vehicles”
• Justia: “2023 Rhode Island General Laws, Title 31 Motor and Other Vehicles (Schedule of Violations)”
• Michigan Legislature: “Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) Section 257.677a”
• Pennsylvania General Assembly: “Title 75, 3721: Snow and Ice”
• Rhode Island State Police: “Winter Driving Tips”
• State of Connecticut: “Public Act No. 10-182, An Act Concerning the Removal of Snow and Ice From Motor Vehicles”
• State of New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety: “Ice and Snow Remove it Before You Go”
• Waxman and Beer: “Remove Snow and Ice From Your Car in New York City or Face Big Fines”
• WROR 105.7: “Massachusetts Myth or Mandate? The Truth Behind Not Clearing The Snow Off Your Car”

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