The Dangers Of Not Removing Ice Off Your Vehicle

Snow brings a lot of happiness and joy but also results in around half a million crashes and thousands of accidents per year. You don’t only have to worry about snow on the road, you also need to pay attention to the snow that covers your vehicles and ways to effectively melt the snow or ice.

According to reports, about 46% of all crashes involve poor weather conditions making winter months riskier to drive in. While you can’t always do much about snow on the road, you should not let snow and ice accumulate on the vehicle as it can impact not just you but also others around you. Plus, it can even have legal repercussions.

Safe, Non-Corrosive Snow Melt

Let’s start.

1- It’s Riskier To Drive

The accumulation of ice and snow on your vehicle reduces visibility and increases the risk of being dislodged. Getting dislodged could result in damage to other parties including passersby and vehicles on the road.

In addition to this, other drivers on the road may be blinded by snow blowing off your car. Despite these risk factors, only 46% of commercial drivers remove accumulated ice or snow.

2- What To Do About It

Here are a few things you can do if you find the windshield of your vehicle frozen with snow or ice:

• Make sure to keep the washer reservoir with a suitable fluid
• Use a squeegee, plastic scraper, or soft bristle to quickly remove snow
• Turn to a reliable snow melt that does not cause harm to the vehicle but removes snow in a safe manner. You can use a homemade ice melt if you can’t find one suitable for the purpose.

It might be a good idea to remove snow before you take your vehicle out so that there are no issues during transit. Check homemade ice melt recipes on the internet or consider our product that’s safe for all kinds of surfaces.

3- A Legal Requirement

Not removing ice or snow from your vehicle before taking it on the road can result in legal issues.

“Currently, every state has laws that make it illegal for items to fall from a vehicle while on the road. Law enforcement may prohibit vehicles from using the roadway if debris, which includes snow and ice, could fall from the vehicle and endanger individuals and/or property,” said Rich Romer, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety manager of state relations.

Some states even have ‘ice missile’ laws that allow officers to stop drivers if they’re driving a vehicle that is covered in ice or snow. 

Some states including Washington, Oklahoma, and Alaska allow officers to issue citations if they feel the vehicle is unsafe for the road due to covered side view mirrors, windshield, roof, or headlights.

Legislators around the country are also constantly working to introduce bills related to snow removal. Delaware, for example, took a major step in 2016 when it introduced a snow removal bill that put a huge penalty – up to $1,500 – for violating the law and driving without clearing snow or ice.

Maryland also took a similar step in 2016 with fines as high as $1,500. It is illegal to operate or tow a vehicle in the state without removing snow or ice. This is why it is important to ensure you are fully aware of the laws. A homemade ice melt might do the job; however, we suggest that you have a look at Safe Paw snow melt as it’s non-conductive and non-corrosive.