Can You Get a Ticket for Having Snow on Your Car?

There are few things as beautiful as a soft white blanket of pristine snow on the ground. Conversely, there are few things as annoying as having to clean a giant pile of snow and ice off your car in freezing weather. It’s no wonder so many New Yorkers just resign themselves to driving around with huge piles of snow on their car’s roof. It’s a common occurrence, but is it a ticketable offense?

All that snow and ice flying off the roof of your car as you drive can be frustrating – and in some cases even dangerous – for the drivers behind you. While many states, including Connecticut and New Jersey, have laws against it, New York does not.

That’s not for lack of trying. Since 2013, there have been at least three attempts by state legislators to pass a law allowing police to ticket truckers and motorists who drive with ice and snow on their roof. The most recent bill was crafted in early 2016, but never made it out of committee.

Even though there’s no specific law against it, a half-hearted job of clearing the snow off your car could still land you a ticket. For example, if your lights are obscured by the snow, you could get charged with inadequate headlights and/or tail lights. Each charge is separate and carries a $150 fine a mandatory surcharge of up to $63 per ticket. Likewise, if the snow covers the license plate in part or in whole, you could also get hit with a ticket for an obstructed plate. This is a $200 ticket that includes a $93 surcharge. Thankfully, no points are assigned for a conviction in any of the above cases. However, if you don’t chip away at the ice pile on your rear window, you could get a ticket for obstructed view, which carries 2 points on your license plus a $150 fine and up to $93 surcharges.

If you or someone you love has been ticketed for inadequate headlights or tail lights, or an obstructed plate or view, contact a lawyer right away to avoid the costs and other consequences that come with a conviction. The lawyers of the Rosenblum Law are experienced traffic ticket attorneys with offices in New York and New Jersey. Email or call 888-203-2619 for a free consultation about your case.