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State Senators Push Bill To Require Vehicles Be Clear Of Ice And Snow

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's happened to most of us -- a big chunk of snow or ice comes flying off a truck or car directly into your path.

"I don't think there's anyone who hasn't had the experience where they're following somebody or out of nowhere a big block hit the windshield at high rates of speed, and it's dangerous," says Sen. Jim Brewster, a McKeesport Democrat.

What comes as a surprise to Brewster and many others is that there is no state law that requires you to clean snow and ice off your vehicles.

"That's true," said Sen. Lisa Boscola of Lehigh & Northampton Counties, who has taken a special interest in this subject.

"In fact, there is a law, but current law allows for a fine if snow or ice flies off a vehicle and causes death or serious bodily injury," added Boscola.

In other words, you're not required to clean off the snow and ice, but if you don't scrape the snow off your vehicle and it causes serious harm, then you could be fined up to $1,000.

But that's too late, says Boscola.

"The damage has already occurred," she told KDKA political editor Jon Delano.

Boscola -- joined by Brewster -- has introduced Senate Bill 93 to require motor vehicle drivers to "make all reasonable efforts to remove all accumulated ice or snow from the motor vehicle, including the hood, trunk, and roof of the motor vehicle."

Senate Bill 94 extends that to trucks and trailers.

"What spurred me to do this was in 2005 a woman on Christmas Day a slab of ice came off a tractor trailer that killed her instantly," said Boscola. "It went right through the windshield. It was a deadly icy missile."

If approved, local police could stop snow-covered vehicles that posed a threat and fine the driver $25 to $75 before anyone was actually hurt.

"We don't want to make it a financial thing," added Brewster. "We want to make it a safety issue."

The Senate Transportation Committee is expected to hold hearings on these bills later this year.

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