Stiff Fines Will Be Flying Post-Nor’easter in Connecticut

Almost 9 years ago, on December 31, 2013, the State of Connecticut passed a law that obligates the operator of any motor vehicle to remove the accumulated snow and ice off of the roofs of their vehicle before hitting the roads. With tonight and tomorrow's expected nor'easter dumping up to a foot of snow on northwest Connecticut, I hope that the fines will be flying as quickly as the snow tomorrow.

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I learned how to drive in the mid 80's, so I've endured a couple of decades of ice-missile free-for-alls on 84, 95, and the Merritt. I remember a terrifying accident involving an 18 wheeler in the 90s. I was driving down the big hill into Middlebury/Waterbury on 84 eastbound before Exit 17, when a huge sheet of ice broke off of the top of the tractor trailer. It crashed right onto an F150 a couple of vehicles ahead of me, which in turn then fishtailed off the right side of the road.

That incident made me pay attention to the danger of my laziness in my own snow removal. Connecticut took it a step further in 2013. If you're driving your own private vehicle, and don't remove the snow and ice off of the roof, and you head out onto the roads, you face a minimum $75 dollar fine. If your chunk of ice or snow somehow injures someone or damages property, you face a fine between $200-$1000. Commercial motor vehicle operators face stiffer fines of $500 - $1250.

Do what I do, if you have a shorter, or elderly neighbor, show some kindness and help them out. You might be saving me a broken windshield or worse, so thank you.