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TRENTON
- With the winter driving season upon us,
and another storm expected over the next 24
hours, highway safety officials are reminding
motorists to always clear ice and snow from
their vehicles before traveling on New Jersey’s
roadways.
“Before
you get behind the wheel, take the time to
completely clear your vehicle’s hood,
trunk, windows and roof,” Fischer said.
“This simple task can be a lifesaver
for you and those who share the road with
you. Snow and ice left on a vehicle can become
deadly projectiles, causing significant and
costly damage to other vehicles and potentially
fatal injuries to motorists and their passengers.”
In
addition to making sure that all ice and snow
are completely removed from your vehicle,
motorists should modify their driving behavior
based on current weather conditions.
“Each
year in New Jersey, more than 75,000 crashes
occur on snow or ice-covered roads, resulting
in an average of 10 lives lost and nearly
20,000 injuries,” Director Fischer said.
“While it’s always safest to stay
off the road in bad weather, if you must travel,
slow down, particularly on exit ramps and
bridges; leave ample travel time; never tailgate
other vehicles; make sure you turn on your
headlights, using low beams when driving in
snow; and, buckle-up, every ride.”
Currently,
motorists who fail to remove ice and snow
from their vehicles and cause property damage
or injury to others can be cited and fined
$200 to as much as $1,000 for each offense
under New Jersey law. A bill is now moving
through the Legislature that would require
motorists to remove ice and snow from their
vehicles before driving. Under the proposed
bill, those drivers that fail to do so, and
cause a potential hazard for themselves and
others on the road, could be ticketed by police.
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