NY Lawmaker: Drivers With Snow On Their Cars Should Be Ticketed
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A New York lawmaker is pushing for legislation to give law enforcement the power to ticket drivers who don't clean snow and ice off their vehicles.
In the wake of this weekend's powerful winter storm, State Senator Tony Avella (D), of Queens, is pushing a bill that would require drivers to clear their cars and trucks off before hitting the road, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported.
"It could cause a fatality, damage to a car, someone can swerve out of the way -- even if they're not hit," Avella said.
Jack, of Somers, told WCBS 880's Sean Adams he's had a few close calls and called leaving ice and snow on your car is dangerous.
"Especially off trucks or SUVs, but it's the law now, you have to clear it. At least in Jersey it is. I don't know about New York," he said.
It does not appear the trucking industry is actively opposing the bill. For critics it's mostly a "limited government" issue, saying that there is no need to impose laws on what should be common sense.
"It's a good a thing, if one of those pieces of ice falls off it'll go through somebody's windshield," Mike Szymanski, a truck driver, said. "Most companies that are big they have machines that come down on the trailer and pull the snow off."
New Jersey and Connecticut already have similar laws in place. Legislation on the issue has been previously proposed in New York, but was shot down.
"If New Jersey passed it, and they have it, why can't we?" Avella said.
