Chief Column: That snow? On your car? Clear it off! Clear it ALL off!

QUESTION: I know you’ve been talking a lot about safety precautions for driving during the winter, especially during snow storms. I’ve noticed that with all the warnings, people still drive with snow on their car roofs and covering their windows. Could you please remind people that this is dangerous and could cause accidents?

ANSWER: Thanks for the reminder. During winter storms, the best advice for motorists is to not drive at all if you can avoid it. As we can see by the recent snowfall over the past two weeks, winter is not over and it’s safe to say that we can expect more snow before the season is ends. That being said, motorists need to use extra caution when driving during and after a snow storm.

There are many vehicles on the road after a storm with snow still completely covering their side or rear windows. Some vehicles may only have a small portion of the windshield cleared for visibility. This is not only dangerous and could cause a crash; it is a violation of MA General Law Chapter 90 Section 13 that could result in a $40.00 fine for Impeded Operation. In most cases an officer will stop the vehicle and have the driver clear their windows before they proceed with a warning that future violations will result in a citation.

To make sure you have the best visibility when driving during or after a snow storm, the Grafton Police would like to offer the following tips from www.aaa.com.

• Clear all snow and ice from the vehicle’s windows, roof, hood, trunk lid and any other covered areas. This will reduce risk, because it increases your visibility. Additionally, drivers around you won’t be blinded by snow blowing off your vehicle.
• Use an ice scraper to remove snow and ice from your windshield and all windows, including side and rear windows. This will improve your ability to see other roadway users that may move into your path of travel.
• Clean windows offer optimal visibility so wiper blades that streak the windshield should be replaced.
• The washer reservoir bottle should be filled with an antifreeze washer solvent.
• To prevent damage to your wiper blades or wiper motor, be sure the wipers are free of ice and snow and turned off before starting the engine.
• To optimize visual clarity, clean the outside and inside of your windshield at least once a week. Frequent cleaning is even more important if you smoke.
• Keep your car’s windshield and rear-window defrosters in good working condition.
• Keep your windshield wiper blades fresh. Many drivers change them every six months, especially before driving in bad weather.

SPECIAL NOTE: Please remember to keep your parked vehicles off the roads during snowstorms. Vehicles parked on the road hamper plowing operations and make it difficult for highway crews to properly clear the road of snow and ice. Vehicles left on the road during these times may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Anyone with questions for the Chief’s Column may submit them by mail to the Grafton Police Department, 28 Providence Road, Grafton, MA 01519. You may also email your questions or comments to chief@graftonpolice.com. Please include an appropriate subject line, as I do not open suspicious email for obvious reasons.

Normand A. Crepeau
Chief of Police