You Could be Fined $200 or More for Breaking This MA Law

Massachusetts has been experiencing some winter weather lately, and it's still technically fall. Berkshire County received its first real snowfall for what's about to become the winter season last week, and you never know when more can be on the way.

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Do you ever see those folks who are driving after a winter storm with snow all over their roofs and hoods of their cars? I would assume that many have the attitude of feeling like there's no need to clean the snow from the vehicle when it will just naturally fly off when driving. That drives me crazy because not only is it dangerous to them, it's dangerous to fellow motorists. It's very inconsiderate if you ask me. Sadly, thousands of people drive around in Massachusetts with ice and snow on their vehicles as reported by various internet sites.

Massachusetts recognizes the danger in this bad habit, and as such, there is a law for not clearing snow and ice from your vehicle. Well, let's back up for a minute. There isn't an actual law for neglecting to remove snow and ice from your car, but it ties in with another Massachusetts law. Snow and ice can be considered an unsecured load and in Massachusetts, you can face fines up to $200 for carrying unsecured loads when on the road. Guess what? A large sheet of ice flying off your vehicle qualifies as an unsecured load.

In addition, if your windshield is blocked with snow and ice (talk about dangerous and reckless), you could be nailed with a $40 citation. So make sure you take the extra few minutes to get all of the ice and snow scraped from your windshield. The result of doing this could be lives saved.