There's A New Law In Pennsylvania That Requires Drivers To Clean Snow From Their Vehicle Rooftops
By Beth Price-Williams|Published December 15, 2022
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Snow and icy roads make driving after a snowfall stressful for just about everyone who has to travel. While the road and weather conditions are out of our control, we also face another danger on Pennsylvania’s roads during the winter: snow and ice flying from vehicles that have not been cleaned. Most of us have dodged flying snow or ice at least once while driving during the winter, but a new law in Pennsylvania is designed to make that one less problem for drivers to worry about.
Snow and ice flying from rooftops of uncleaned vehicles can quickly turn to tragedy as it did on Christmas Day in 2005.
Like countless other Pennsylvanians, Christine Lambert was traveling on Christmas. Ice from a truck in front of her slammed through her window, hitting her in the head. She died as a result.
Prior to the passage of Christine’s Law, law enforcement could not pull drivers over for having snow and ice on their vehicles. Previously, drivers only faced consequences when serious bodily injury resulted from flying snow or ice. The new law changes all of that.
Governor Tom Wolf signed “Christine’s Law” in July of 2022. Act 90 of 2022, its official name, states that drivers have 24 hours after a snowstorm to clean the snow and ice from their vehicle, including from the roof, trunk, and hood.