Icy missiles: What police in Pa. can and cannot do about ice and snow on vehicles

Photographs of shattered windshields, damaged from ice flying off of vehicles, have been shared on social media in the past couple of weeks after recent winter storms.

The messages come with a plea: Make sure your vehicle has been cleared of snow and ice before heading out on the road.

State police received two complaints Thursday morning about vehicles being struck by flying ice on Interstate 83 in York County, Trooper James Spencer said. Both happened in the southern end, and neither driver needed troopers to respond to the scene.

For many drivers, confusion exists over what police can and cannot do about drivers with snow and ice on their vehicles.

Officers can pull over drivers if their vehicle's windshield and windows are not cleared of snow and ice, because it would impair the driver's view, Spencer said. That involves a $25 fine, plus court costs.

However, officers cannot stop drivers with a stack of snow and ice on their car roofs, Spencer said.

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If snow and ice flies off of a car, hits another vehicle or pedestrian and causes serious injury or death, then officers can fine the driver $200 to $1,000 for each offense, Spencer said. So if two pedestrians were injured by the flying ice and snow, for example, it would be two offenses.

Drivers should take a few extra minutes to fully clean off their vehicle. 

"It's just common decency," he said.

Laura Jansen of Glen Rock was driving Thursday morning when ice came flying off a tractor-trailer and hit her windshield. It happened in Maryland. She and the driver of the tractor-trailer were heading in opposite directions. 

The driver of the tractor-trailer did not stop, but Jansen said she's not sure if he noticed what happened.

She's thankful she didn't have a passenger in the car. That's where her windshield is damaged.

"It's a good reminder to take the extra time to clean your vehicle," she said.

Lee Powell's car suffered damage last week after a chunk of ice and snow flew off of a school bus and struck her vehicle.

"The tow truck driver thought I hit a deer," the North Hopewell Township resident said of the damage inflicted.

Police explained to Powell that they could not write a ticket for what happened. She thinks drivers need to be held accountable.

"The law makes victims out of victims," she said. 

State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh/Northampton counties, has re-introduced legislation called "Christine's Law," according to a news release.  It's named after Christine Lambert of Northampton County, who was killed on Christmas Day 2005 when a piece of ice hit her vehicle. The ice flew off of a truck.

The legislation would require drivers to fully clean off their vehicles within 24 hours after a storm, the release states. 

It also would allow police to stop drivers for not clearing snow and ice from their vehicles if officers believe it "may pose a threat to people or property." It is Senate Bill 114, said Kurt Derr, legislative assistant for the senator.

It would carry a fine of $25 to $75 for each offense whether or not the ice and snow flew off the vehicle.

A bill was passed in the Senate last April but was not brought up in the state House, Derr said.

"She's hopeful that something can be done in an expedited manner," he said.

Powell said she was shocked by the whole experience. She thinks it should be more than a civil matter.

"There's no way to hold anybody accountable for this," she said.