If you’re planning on driving in or through Connecticut during the winter months, there’s a new law that you should be aware of. As of January 1st, all motorists are required to clear snow and ice from their vehicle before getting on the road. This is especially important to note due to the blizzard that is currently making its way across the Northeast.
The fine for being on the roads without first clearing off your vehicle is only $75 for cars, but can be anywhere between $500 and $1,250 for truckers.
In the words of Melody Currey, the state’s Motor Vehicle Commissioner, the law is meant to “protect citizens and motorists from these elements that can be very dangerous when coming off traveling trucks on our highways and streets.”
There are already similar laws in place in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, so if you’re driving in the Northeast, be extra sure to remove all snow and ice from your vehicle before starting out.
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Source: fleetowner
Sounds more like a money maker to me.
No way am I climbing on top of s 13’6″ trailer and digging snow off of it. Not going to happen.
I can understand this but my only concern is for the top of the trailer it stands 13’6″ and most trailers cant support the weight of a person so unless the provide something to help with that it will never be fair.
This is fine for cars, but how do they expect a 6ft driver to clear off a 13’6″ vehicle? Unless the state plans to make “snow clearing stations” with raised platforms I really can’t see this standing up in court for long.
Just another way to fleece the little people, in the name of safety.
Yeah, I’ll just jump right up there and shove off the snow…
Yes let me set up a ladder on icy pavement, climb 13.5 feet in the air, and attempt to remove snow with a broom. Sounds safe to me! ?????
This has more to do with raising more revenue than anything else. And, if they deny it, everyone including the people that thought up this latest law, knows what liers they are.
I would love to see the people that wrote this law clean off a trailer , like you say is 13’6 all , how are you to get up there fly?. like I said in an earlier post , I would like these idiots that wrote this law to show me were they have a cdl and have driven a truck. they write these laws and put them into affect without even thinking them through, hell just like Obama care, they said they never read it, they would have to sign it into law to see what it was all about, I wish everyone that wrote these laws would have to live by them.
OSHA requires employers to:
Employers must set up the work place to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls. OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces
◾Provide working conditions that are free of known dangers.
◾Keep floors in work areas in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition.
◾Select and provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to workers.
◾Train workers about job hazards in a language that they can understand.
◾Other means of fall protection that may be required on certain jobs include safety and harness and line, safety nets, stair railings and hand rails.
Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers.
Like most laws, this is just to make some extra money. Clearing a car of snow is a simple matter. Clearing a truck of snow is nearly impossible. I’d like to see how this holds up.
The nearby ohio toll road have height detectors and I was once turned away because of a snowy trailer roof.
I really don’t think that any of us want the ice and snow to be on our trailers among other things being the extra weight,less fuel milage equal lower profits. I don’t want to have or see trailers in front of me with snow piled high because at some point it is going to come off. But at least we know that we should not tailgate, especially these units, most car drivers don’t seem to know that. Yes I agree it is a danger, I have felt that way since I started driving for a living in 81. But, as we all also know the problem is and has always been, how the heck is a driver suppose to get the snow off of the top of trailers. Even if we could get up on top of the units it would be a constant death threat once you get up there, every time. Okay, they have their laws, okay great, now, they must be forced to make every place a trailer can be parked to have multiple units designed for the trailers to be driven under for scraping off purposes. This also would have to include that these locations must keep constant employees who’s job it is to then clean the ground off after every trailer has gone through it, other wise it raises the height for the next unit which would then tare holes in the roof of the next unit. But, as usual, it is always easier to lay everything at the employees feet in the transportation industry.
You have to laugh at a state like Pennsylvania that can’t move snow off of the highway at ground level with a fleet of snowplows but expect a truckdriver to climb 13 feet up on a trailer to scrap the snow off of there.
Why does it really matter to most of who are bitching. You won’t stand up and fight the ridiculous HOS rules, so why complain!!!!!
I guess it is time for drivers to turn down load to CT, esp in the winter when it is snowing.
I don’t see how you people feel it is the states responsibility to provide you means to comply with the law. It is the company’s responsibility to make sure it’s employees comply with the law. If you are an owner operator then it is your responsibility. A simple truck wash would clear it off. Yes you would have to spend more money is the name of safety,welcome to the world of business. The company I worked for spent2.5 million complying with state and federal fall protection laws and spends 100k a year maintaining and replacing worn safety equipment to comply with the law. Quit complaining, spend 30 bucks to havea truck wash clear the snow.
How are you going to get to the truck wash if there
Is snow on your roof?
Mr. Officer I was on my way to the Blue Beacon to
get it off. Mr. Trucker what exit is the BB? NJ TP exit
7, Sir this US exit 14 your not gonna make it.
Your comment makes no since, just like this new law.
What’s a company to do set up mobile snow job stations in
case it snows, just how ridiculous dies that sound.
How do you suggest we drive to the truck wash, with out violating the law to get there?
I worked for major contractor with offices from CA to NY to FL. We also spent millions on safety, but is much easier to do when you are in a fixed locations. How many commercial trailers have tie down points for fall protection? How many have ladders to climb up on?
By the way you should also know the prohibited acts in fall protection is working on an Ice covered surface, or on a surface not rated for 250lbs per sq/ft.
Just how stupid are the people that live in Conn and New Jersey? Winter comes every year. It never changes. Along with winter comes snow. Some times a hell of a lot of it.
Now if a person driving their car is too ignorant to keep a safe distance behind a truck, he or she deserves to be clobbered with snow falling off a truck or even off the roof of a car. the law makers in that part of the country have proven year after year that they are not the smartest nor have any common sense. The only redeeming thing about this snow falling crap is that cars drivers are now covered in this law and can be fined. Bet the fine is no where near the fine paid by truckers. Just one more reason my atlas is getting fewer and fewer pages left in it.
Including trailers? How are we to get to the top of the trailer? What about drivers who are big? The fact that trailers are not made to be walked on? OSHA requires to be in a harness over 6′ what are going to secure that to? Just a few for the court. Use the OSHA fact.
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Sounds like a money maker to me. Chain monkeys make a fortune putting on chains. Why not have a snow removal service? Setup a building for the truck to drive through and scrape/blast the snow off. A 13’7″ overpass might help too.
guess i will stay regional se in winter
When they came out with this law in Pennsylvania I sent my safety department a message asking them how they wanted us to comply with this regulation. Many of our trailers had the clear fiberglass roofs and of course a driver would fall right through if he walked on it. Not to mention trying to shovel on an icy, snowy platform 13’6″ in the air. Interestingly I never got a reply. Just more proof that laws are made by people who have no idea what they are doing.
I’m with the others
do these states comply with osha, and if the claim they do, why don’t they supply cleaning stations at state cost. most of the law breakers are local 4 wheelers.
I see 4 wheelers full of snow and ice and some use wipers to clean snow fall and go.
I live in the great white north and work place safety here won’t allow it in any province over 10 feet (harness is required), that I can come up with but what do I tie it to, and how do I get up and down safely. These law makers clearly don’t think out of the box.
What a joke 75 for cars and how much for trucks
Just delete these states from places where you deliver and when those *** holes are starving maybe they’ll get the idea that maybe something is wrong.
I think the fine is terrible, but I saw a sheet of icy snow come off the top of a trailer onto a pickup following it and it sure didn’t look like he enjoyed it! Was a 3ft by 5ft pc and looked dangerous..
I had a sheet of icy snow come off the roof of a surburban into my windshield and liked to made my heart stop. The weather is causing a problem with ice sheets on top of vehicles, trucks and cars that we need to deal with somehow. I think us trying to scrape of the roofs of our trailers is a terrible idea, but somehow the roof needs to be cleared before we go on the highways.. American ingenuity needs to step in here and help out.
$30 for a truck wash…lol. just the truck for $30. The trailer is what really holds the snow. Anybody wanna enlighten this non-driver what it costs to run a truck/trailer through the wash? Try $65-$70. How long does it take to remove $70 worth of work? About 15 minutes if you’re a company driver that does drop and hooks. This aint your daddy’s shotgun, cowboy and this aint my first rodeo.
Born and raised in Jersey. My reply to all those under 13′ 6″, BITE ME
How does a 6ft person get snow off their House….simple, a roof rake. I’ve used a plastic roof rake on my house for years, for the hopper trailer I pull, and YES….even Van trailers. I agree the rule is dumb, but life is full of adaptations….time to hulk up…if you have to go to CT I guess.