Why, Oh Why, Can’t New Jersey Drivers Break This Annoying Habit When It Snows?!

You think New Jersey drivers are bad normally? They're even worse in the winter.

I'm not gonna lie here, I'm mainly just venting my frustration on this topic. But may this rant also serve as a very necessary, very legal reminder that some New Jersey drivers just. aren't. paying. attention to!

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We finally got snow back in the New Jersey/Philadelphia area. It was a very welcome sight for those of us who missed the classic Northeast winter snow that went missing for over two years.

The snow finally came back in evening hours of Monday, Jan 15. When we woke up the next morning, a large part of the region saw between 2-3 inches of snow!

But some of us still had to drive to work - including me.

I painstakingly spent about 10-15 minutes scraping the snow and ice off my car. (I'm very short and I don't have a tall, strapping man on hand to chivalrously clear my car off)  so it took me a bit longer to reach the top. But I reached the top, nonetheless!

Unfortunately, other New Jersey/Philadelphia drivers didn't do the same.

Do I HAVE to clear the snow off the top of my car in New Jersey?

YES!!!! It's against the law if you don't!

According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety:

"Remember to remove all ice and snow from your vehicle before driving, especially from the hood, windows and roof. It’s the law in New Jersey! Motorists who fail to do so face fines of $25 to $75 for each offense, regardless of whether the ice and snow is dislodged from the vehicle. If flying ice or snow causes property damage or injury to others, motorists face fines of $200 to $1,000 for each offense. There are approximately 500 fatalities in the United States per year due to icy road conditions."

Over the last 48 hours commuting to and from work, I've lost count of how many times my windshield was smacked with chunks of snow that came flying off other drivers' cars. It's extremely annoying and dangerous.

If you're running late to work and can't afford to spend an extra 5 minutes getting that snow off your roof, I get it. But it's not an excuse, because it's dangerous.

Get the snow off your car, New Jersey. All of it. It's the law!