It can be a real pain to wake up on after a wintery night only to find that your car’s windshield is covered in snow and ice. Now you have to go out in the cold, brush off the snow and chip away the ice before you can go to work.
Still, it is important to clear your windshield completely before driving. If you live in Vermont or commute to Vermont from New Hampshire, you could get a ticket for driving with a windshield obscured with ice or snow. More importantly, an uncleared windshield could reduce your visibility and lead to a serious car crash.
Why should you clear your windshield in Vermont?
Police in Vermont will pull over a driver who did not adequately clear their windshield. A driver with snow or ice remaining on their windshield could receive a $105 citation.
The ticket is not given simply for the reason that your windshield happens to have snow or ice on it. You are ticketed because your vision is obscured by the snow or ice. That is what is dangerous about the situation.
Poor visibility can lead to a car crash
If you cannot see well out of your front windshield, it is likely that you are going to miss essential road conditions. You may not see a stop sign or red light until it is too late, and you run through the intersection. You may not see speed limit signs and drive too fast. You may not see the cars driving next to you, in front of you or behind you.
Ultimately, if you cannot see everything around you while driving, you are not meeting your duty to drive safely. If you cause a car crash due to the violation of this duty and the violation causes the other party to the collision to suffer financial damages, you could be held responsible for the wreck.
So, you should make sure to completely clear your windshield before hitting the road this winter. Not only will you avoid getting a ticket, but you will ensure you and others will reach their destinations safely.