MAINE, USA — Lawmakers in Augusta are considering a bill that would require drivers to clear their vehicles of snow and ice after a winter storm.
The bill would require drivers to clear any "unsecured snow or ice" from their vehicle before operating on a public road.
Drivers would not be fined until 48 hours after a snowstorm in the area, a news release from the Maine Legislature House Democratic Office said. Fines would range between $150 and $500.
If the bill passes, Maine would join other states in New England, such as New Hampshire and Connecticut, with snow removal laws around vehicles.
Currently, Maine law pertains to obstructions on vehicles such as signs or unsecured loads, with no legislation specific to clearing snow before driving.
"I don't think people realize how serious it can be if ice falls off and hits another vehicle," the bill's sponsor, Rep. Bruce White, D-Waterville, said.
Jaclyn Sanipass knows all too well just how dangerous snow and ice falling off the back of a vehicle can be.
"Really scary, I honestly thought I was going to die or get seriously injured," Sanipass said. She said she was traveling on Route 26 in Oxford on Monday when a sheet of ice fell off the delivery truck in front of her and crushed her windshield.
"I've seen a lot of snow and ice come off of cars before and have been hit with pieces before, but nothing of this size," Sanipass said.
Luckily, she walked away from the incident uninjured, however her windshield will need to be replaced.
"This could be really dangerous, if we were going 65 or on the highway, it could've been a completely different story. If, you know, I swerved into the other lane it could've ended differently," Sanipass said.
There is some opposition to the proposed bill, including the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, which wrote in a public testimony against the bill that it would pose serious safety concerns for drivers responsible for clearing the snow, add additional costs, and lacks clear details of what needs to be removed from vehicles.
The Legislature's transportation committee will discuss the proposed bill in a work session Thursday at 1 p.m.