Frozen Missiles : Welcome to Connecticut Roadways in the Winter

Driving on Connecticut roadways after a fresh coating of the white stuff may be serene and picturesque, but driver beware, those roadways can turn treacherous very quickly.  Unfortunately, there are a handful of drivers on our roadways that are not as responsible as they should be in cleaning accumulated frozen precipitation off their vehicles prior to operating their vehicle.

As soon as those vehicles hit the highways a combination of melt and wind friction causes the accumulated precipitation to lift and will often strike vehicles behind them resulting in significant property damage, accidents, and/or personal injury of unsuspecting victims.

In Connecticut, it is the law to remove snow/ice from your vehicle prior to operation with the only caveat being that there is no requirement to do so during an ongoing storm.  Pursuant to C.G.S. § 14-252a(a), the operator of any noncommercial motor vehicle shall remove any accumulated ice or snow from such motor vehicle, including the hood, trunk and roof of such motor vehicle, so that any ice or snow accumulated on such vehicle does not pose a threat to persons or property while the vehicle is being operated on any street or highway of this state. 

Pursuant to C.G.S. § 14-252a(c), the operator of any commercial motor vehicle shall remove any accumulated ice or snow from such motor vehicle, including the hood, trunk and roof of such motor vehicle, so that any ice or snow accumulated on such vehicle does not pose a threat to persons or property while the vehicle is being operated on any street or highway of this state.

Violating the aforementioned statutes is negligence per se in Connecticut.  If your vehicle is struck by accumulated ice/snow that originated from any other vehicle on the roadway immediately gather as much information as you can regarding the description of said vehicle, including the license plate, and report the same to law enforcement.  If the vehicle pulls over, take pictures.

You are within your rights to pursue an action against the violating party if the frozen precipitation that struck your vehicle caused property damage, an accident, and/or personal injury.  If the vehicle evades, you nevertheless may still be able to pursue a personal injury claim through your own insurance by notifying your insurer of the accident and an uninsured claim.  Contact BPS Lawyers Partner Stephen P. Sobin to protect your interests following a roadway snow/ice strike incident.