Pennsylvania Drivers: Snow Removal Rules Apply to Your Vehicles, Too

It should come as no surprise that snow and ice removal rules apply not only to your business or residential property; they apply to motor vehicles, including commercial vehicles. Drivers in Pennsylvania must remove snow and ice from their cars within 24 hours of snowfall stopping. Making sure that your vehicle, which includes your front and back windshields, windows, hood, trunk, and roof, is clear from snow and ice is a critical part of maintaining good visibility while driving. But that’s not the only reason it is so important: it is because it also helps to safeguard other vehicles, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians against being hit by potentially catastrophic, or even fatal, amounts of snow.

Christine’s Law

In 2022, former PA Governor Tom Wolf signed “Christine’s Law,” which requires drivers to clear their vehicles. The bill is named after a woman named Christine Lambert, who lost her life on Christmas day, 2005, after a piece of ice dislodged from a tractor-trailer and went through her window, hitting her in the head. Before Christine’s Law came into effect, Pennsylvania drivers could only be penalized if snow or ice falling from their vehicle resulted in serious bodily harm to someone; now, anyone who violates the bill by failing to clear their vehicle can receive a $50 fine (though fines can be as high as $1,500).

There are a few exceptions to the law. The law does not apply if the snow and ice buildup occurs while the vehicle operates. So, for example, you would not be fined for failing to clear snow that fell while you were taking a trip to the grocery store. Another exception to the law is that an individual does not need to be compliant if doing so would endanger their health and safety, like if they have certain medical conditions.

Traffic Accident Injuries and Deaths

In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, recorded a total of 42,795 motor vehicle fatalities in the United States. In addition to the deaths, there were more than 2.6 million emergency department visits for injuries associated with motor vehicle crashes. According to the NHTSA, winter driving is a significant factor in deadly motor vehicle crashes for reasons including slippery roads resulting from ice and/or snow, driving too fast for wintry conditions, reduced visibility from snowfall or fog, and following other vehicles too closely.

Some of the most common injuries that motor vehicle accident victims sustain include:

• Whiplash
• Soft tissue injuries, which can impact muscles, ligaments, and tendons
• Broken bones, especially in the legs and/or pelvis
• Head injuries like concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs
• Internal bleeding
• Spinal cord injuries, which can cause partial or full paralysis
• Chest injuries
• Facial injuries, including disfigurement
• Burns
• Knee, ankle, and/or foot injuries
• Psychological trauma, like PTSD (or post-traumatic stress disorder)

With more than one month of winter – and its cold and icy temperatures – still ahead of us, there is certainly more snow and ice in our future. If you live in Pennsylvania, make sure to comply with Christine’s Law and do your part to help keep your community safe.

If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident or by ice or snow that fell off another vehicle, someone at our firm can help. To learn more, contact a representative online.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers at Galfand Berger, LLP, Representing Injured Victims Since 1947

Contact the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger LLP today. Call us at 800-222-USWA (8792) or fill out our online form for a free consultation. Located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, we serve clients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Allentown and Harrisburg.