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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Traffic Authorities Increasingly Aware That Snowy, Frosty Cars Are Very Hazardous To Drive

A driver clears his car windshield in Boston on Jan. 27, after a heavy storm hit the city. Pennsylvania could be the next state to pass legislation that would cite drivers that take to the road before removing the hazardous ice and snow.
A driver clears his car windshield in Boston on Jan. 27, after a heavy storm hit the city. Pennsylvania could be the next state to pass legislation that would cite drivers that take to the road before removing the hazardous ice and snow.


      Warning: Scrape your icy windshield to avoid accidents like this one

      SNOHOMISH — It was a cold morning in November.
      Twenty-three degrees.
      Clear skies.
      Five minutes before sunrise.
      A pickup truck had stopped at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Maple Avenue, a busy part of town. The driver turned and hit a Snohomish High School sophomore in the crosswalk.
      Lora Burke, 15, was taken by ambulance to the hospital where she was treated for a fractured pelvis.
      A Snohomish woman, 42, was driving her son to school when her pickup struck the girl. She told police she didn't see the teen.
      Police believe they know why.
      The front windshield was “completely obscured by ice,” according to a police report.
      The woman told an officer that she was surprised when a cellular telephone hit her windshield.
      It belonged to the teen, who was not using it as she crossed the street.
      Police have completed the accident investigation and are forwarding it to prosecutors for review.
      The case is a reminder of the importance of taking the extra few minutes to clear car windows before driving, officials said.
      “This lady made a conscious decision to drive with the windows essentially blocked,” Police Chief John Flood said. “Her vision was obstructed. She could not see out that window. You can't drive down the road like that. It is not safe.”
      The results could have been more dire had it been a smaller child or an elderly person crossing the street at that moment, he said.
      Derrick Burke, Lora's father, hopes what happened that morning can serve as a cautionary tale for others, that they will take the time to scrape their windows before driving.
      The Snohomish City Councilman understands it's human nature to think the car defrost will clear off the windshield quickly. He just wants people to consider the risks and do what's right.
      Lora missed more than a week of school. She needed crutches. She's still in physical therapy. The cross country runner has had to put aside that passion while her body mends.
      The morning of the crash was terrifying for her dad.
      Less than five minutes after Lora left for school, he received a call. He could hear sirens in the background and his daughter screaming.
      “It was a horrible moment,” he said.
      Since then, he has worked to make sure his vehicles are well equipped with emergency supplies. He's also refreshed his knowledge of first aid.
      On the day of the crash, the woman was told she could be charged with vehicular assault, a felony, according to the police report. It's also possible she could be cited for reckless or negligent driving.
      Just how often frosty windshields are factors in traffic accidents is difficult to say.
      The Washington State Traffic Safety Commission doesn't keep those statistics.
      “It's not something we commonly see,” said Washington State Patrol trooper Travis Shearer. “When we do, it's very obvious. We definitely pull them over and have a talk with them.”
      Flood said others can learn from the November accident.
      “It is an example of how busy we are in our day-to-day lives, that we push things to the last moment,” he said. “We just need spend the extra minute.”
      Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.comBy Eric Stevick, Herald Writer
      Comments:

    Mike Levin      2 months ago
  • "Just how often frosty windshields are factors in traffic accidents is difficult to say."
    I shake my head whenever I see one on the road that has a small "Peep Hole" scraped in the ice. Just enough so the driver can see in front of their hood ornament.
    It's not just the windshield that should be clear but side and rear windows as well. Too lazy to scrape, why not put a tarp over the top of he car the night before.
    That or clean all the junk out of the garage so the car can be parked inside.


    Not Clearing The Snow Off Your Car 

    Before Driving Could Cost You

    After weeks of winter storms, snow fatigue has set in across much of the country.
    You may be tired of clearing ice and snow off your car, but that can be a safety hazard. And now you could face a fine in some states.
    Mike Taylor of Elkins Park, Pa., says just this week he was behind a car on the Pennsylvania Turnpike when, "Snow on the roof blew off, hit my windshield, forced me to jiggle, and it was only because of the stability of the car and I slowed down that I didn't have an accident," Taylor says.
    He couldn't see the license plate to report the driver. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway, because in Pennsylvania, police cite a driver only if flying snow or ice causes serious injury.
    A proposed law would change that and allow officers to issue a ticket and a fine up to $75.
    "I think that's a fair law because I think it's unsafe to drive with snow on top of your car," says Marcy Monheit of Abington Township, Pa.
    But not everyone is convinced.
    "Is this an actual problem? Or is this just another way to get revenue for the police department?" asks Dylan Glenn of Bryn Athyn, Pa.
    He says if statistics show this is a problem, he would support the legislation.
    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't track these types of accidents. Arguments in favor of new regulations rely on anecdotal experiences.
    That's what prompted Pennsylvania state Sen. Lisa Boscola to sponsor legislation. "A constituent of mine, on Christmas Day, was killed by a huge chunk of ice falling off a tractor-trailer," Boscola says.
    In 2005, Christine Lambert was killed as she drove her family to her parents' house for the holiday. Lambert's death was a lead story in the local newspaper. Boscola began pushing for legislation shortly after that.
    The trucking industry has concerns about requiring drivers to clean off tractor-trailers.
    "Clearing snow and ice from the tops of trailers is very difficult and is often unsafe," says Ted Scott of the American Trucking Associations. Machines that do that can be expensive too.
    "States considering passing snow and ice clearance laws should also consider providing equipment at truck rest areas, weigh stations and private truck stops," Scott says.
    Boscola says she's looking into that.
    For now, Boscola says there's already a good reason to clear snow and ice from your vehicle: Imagine learning a piece of ice that flew off your vehicle injured or killed someone. "You'd probably have to live with that for the rest of your life. Nobody wants that to happen in their lives — nobody," Boscola says.
    Boscola hopes her bill will get a hearing this session.
    Meanwhile, a few states have already passed similar laws — including New Jersey andConnecticut.

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