Delaware drivers could soon get ticketed if they don’t remove ice and snow off their car before hitting the road.
New legislation introduced by Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, filed in 2021, would require that drivers scrape ice and snow off their cars before driving or face a fine between $25 and $75.
The bill didn’t pass in 2021, but Townsend said he hopes to pass it this year.
Drivers who don’t clean their cars risk endangering other drivers on the road if the debris falls off their cars while driving, Townsend said.
The fines would jump to $200 to $1,000 if the snow or ice causes property damage or physical injury. Drivers of commercial vehicles would have to pay a higher fine of $500 to $1,500.
Drivers can get fined once for each day they don’t remove the snow. Police would enforce the law.
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Drivers wouldn’t lose points on their license or any entries on their driving record if they don’t comply.
Drivers also wouldn’t have to remove the snow if it is falling while they are driving — except from their windshield.
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At least 11 other states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have similar laws. Pennsylvania fines drivers up to $1,000 for each offense.
Delaware lawmakers have filed similar bills each legislative session since at least 2014 to try to create this requirement, but the effort fell to the wayside despite widespread support.
Senate Bill 64 introduced last year may have an easier time becoming law with heavy snowfall this past winter being fresh in lawmakers’ minds.
Lawmakers return to session next week after a six-month break.
Sarah Gamard covers government and politics for Delaware Online/The News Journal. Reach her at (302) 324-2281 or sgamard@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahGamard.
