NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4197
SPONSOR: DenDekker TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
the removal of accumulated snow and ice from motor vehicles
PURPOSE:
To promote safer roadways in the State of New York by requiring motor
vehicles, with certain exceptions, shall not be operated with an accumu-
lation of snow or ice on the surface thereof.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
section, 1229-e which would restrict any person from operating a motor
vehicle on a public street or highway where the speed limit exceeds
forty miles per hour while there is an accumulation of snow or ice not
limited to the hood, trunk, and roof of the vehicle so that any accumu-
lation does not pose a threat to persons or property.
Section 2. Exceptions. These violations will not apply to any operator
of a motor vehicle during a period of snow, sleet, or freezing rain if
such period began and continued during the period of the motor vehicle's
operation, to disability drivers and authorized emergency vehicles.
Section 3. The term "motor vehicle" shall have the same meaning as in
section 125 of this chapter. Accumulated snow or ice shall mean at least
two inches of snow or one-half inch of ice.
JUSTIFICATION:
The falling of piles of snow and ice from motor vehicles during the
winter months has become a major hazard for motorists. The failure to
remove these mounds of snow or ice from motor vehicles prior to operat-
ing on a street or highway can cause damage and a loss of visibility to
other vehicles. This legislation would require each driver to take
responsibility to ensure safer roads.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.2455 of 2017-18: Referred to Transportation.
A.9015A of 2014.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4197
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 1, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DenDEKKER -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
the removal of accumulated snow and ice from motor vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 1229-e to read as follows:
3 § 1229-e. Removal of snow and ice. (1) The operator of any motor vehi-
4 cle shall remove any accumulated ice or snow from such motor vehicle,
5 including the hood, trunk and roof of such motor vehicle, so that any
6 ice or snow accumulated on such vehicle does not pose a threat to
7 persons or property while the vehicle is being operated on any street or
8 highway of this state where the speed limit exceeds forty miles per
9 hour. Any operator who fails to remove accumulated ice or snow that
10 poses such a threat shall be fined seventy-five dollars.
11 (2) This section shall not apply to: (a) any operator of a motor vehi-
12 cle during a period of snow, sleet or freezing rain if such period began
13 and continued during the period of the motor vehicle's operation; (b)
14 any operator of a motor vehicle during the time such vehicle is parked;
15 (c) authorized emergency vehicles, as such term is defined in section
16 one hundred one of this chapter; or (d) to persons with a disability.
17 (3) For the purposes of this section:
18 (a) "Motor vehicle" shall have the same meaning as in section one
19 hundred twenty-five of this chapter.
20 (b) "Accumulated ice or snow" shall mean at least two inches of snow
21 or one-half inch of ice.
22 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07792-01-9
