Snow Removal Law

Now that the temperatures outside have started to dip and the winter driving season is upon us, it is time to remind you of New Jersey’s ice and snow removal law. Remember to remove all ice and snow from your vehicle before driving, especially from the hood, windows, and roof. Motorists who fail to obey this law 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.

Also keep in mind that flying ice or snow can cause a car accident, resulting in injury or death to anyone on the roadway. If you cause an accident and injure or kill someone, you could be sued and your assets could be at risk. So be safe and remove all ice and snow off of your car every single time before you drive. It could be the difference between causing an accident and getting home safely. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident as a result of snow or ice that became dislodged from a vehicle on the roadway, see legal counsel immediately.

Winter Driving Tips

The State’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety offers some winter driving tips, which are worth repeating here. Read them over, and always remember to drive safely and follow all motor vehicle laws. The State’s winter driving tips are:

  • Drive slow (at or below the posted speed limit) and adjust your speed for the changing road conditions.
  • Turn on your headlights, using low beams when traveling in snow.
  • Increase your following distance. In winter weather, travel at least eight to 10 seconds behind the car in front of you.
  • Give snowplows plenty of room to work. Don’t tailgate and try not to pass. If you must pass, take extreme caution in doing so. Remember, a snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see him, but they don’t always see you.
  • If you skid, don’t brake or accelerate. Remove your foot from the gas, and gently steer your car in the direction of the skid (the direction the rear of your vehicle is sliding.) When your car starts heading in the desired direction, carefully straighten the wheel.
  • Slow down before exiting the highway. Exit ramps often have icy patches, sharp curves and stalled or stopped vehicles.
  • Have a personal safety kit easily accessible in your vehicle that includes: an ice scraper/brush; shovel; jumper cables or battery starter; blanket; sand, salt or kitty litter for traction; lock de-icer; flashlight and new batteries; extra windshield wiper fluid; safety flares/warning device; cell phone with spare battery; water and non-perishable food (i.e., granola or protein bars); and paper towels or a cloth.
  • If your vehicle does become disabled, pull off the road as far as possible and turn on your emergency flashers. Remain with your vehicle until help arrives. If you can’t get your vehicle off the road and are uncertain about your safety, do not stay in your vehicle or stand behind it. Proceed carefully to a safe location away from traffic.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident caused by someone who wasn’t paying attention, you should contact legal counsel immediately. Stark & Stark is dedicated to helping injured people and we can make sure that your rights are represented. The insurance companies have people working hard on their side, and so should you.

Did you know that New Jersey has a law on its books requiring you to make sure that snow and ice has been removed from your entire car before you hit the road?  In fact, police have issued over 3,200 tickets since the law took effect in October 2010.

Most people assume that so long as their windows are clear, they are safe.  However, this is not the case. Hard snow and ice accumulations routinely fly off while driving, creating dangerous conditions for other drivers whose cars are struck by the flying object itself, or who get spooked while trying to avoid these dangers.

The law states that each driver of a motor vehicle (including commercial trucks, cabs and trailers) in this State shall have an affirmative duty to make all reasonable efforts to remove accumulated ice or snow from exposed surfaces of the motor vehicle prior to operation. These surfaces include the hood, trunk, windshield, windows, and roof of the motor vehicle.

The law does NOT apply to any driver who is operating during a snow or ice storm that began and continued for the duration of the motor vehicle’s operation, or to any operator of a motor vehicle while it is parked.

Fines for violating the new law range from $25 to $75 if no injury or property damage occurs. If failure to remove ice and snow results in injury or property damage, motorists can face fines ranging from $200 to $1,000, while commercial motor vehicle drivers face fines ranging from $500 to $1,500, for each offense.

Perhaps the thought of having to spend the extra time in your pjs or work clothes, coupled with the non-point, relatively low fine, makes you say, “no thanks – I’ll just get the windows.”
But the thought of causing damage to someone else’ car, or worse yet, causing serious injury to others, will hopefully give you pause to remember and follow this law.

The Amazon plant in Robbinsville, New Jersey has closed down, and will remain closed until December 26, 2020 because several of their employees tested positive for COVID-19. Amazon spokesperson Lisa Levandowski made the following statement:

“Through our in-house COVID-19 testing program, we detected an increase in the number of asymptomatic positive cases at our PNE5 facility in New Jersey and have proactively closed the site until December 26th out of an abundance of caution.”

Continue Reading Amazon Plant Closing in New Jersey Due to COVID-19 Exposure

Governor Murphy announced a new Executive Order (EO) providing on-the-job protections for all workers in New Jersey. New Jersey joins only three other states in creating such guidelines, as OSHA and the Federal government have failed to take action in this regard. This EO is designed to ensure that consistent standards are applied by employers to protect employees.

Continue Reading Worker Protection Executive Order Signed Today

On September 14, 2020, New Jersey Governor Murphy signed important legislation that benefits all workers who contracted COVID-19 while working through the current pandemic. The legislation creates the presumption that the contracted illness is “work related.” Before this legislation was signed, only “public safety workers” such as police, fire, EMT, and medical personnel, were granted this presumption.

Continue Reading All Essential Workers Now Deemed “Eligible” for Workers’ Compensation Benefits Under New Legislation

May is Motorcycle Safety Month, which highlights the need for all drivers to be especially aware of motorcycles as well as all vehicles on the roads. With the recent beautiful weather, I’ve seen and heard more motorcycles in the last week than I have in months. Please be especially vigilant and respectful of others as you drive, whether you are on a bike, in a car, or truck.

Continue Reading May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month: Please Drive and Ride Safely

Carrying sufficient Uninsured and Underinsured coverage on your motorcycle and personal vehicles is less obvious, but just as critical, as having health insurance coverage.

After ensuring that your health insurance policy, will cover any medical treatment for injuries suffered in a crash, check your own vehicle policies to be sure you have sufficient liability, uninsured, and underinsured coverages on your bike and personal vehicles.

Continue Reading Uninsurance and Underinsurance for Motorcycle Riders

Motorcycle riders: please review your health insurance coverages!

Before we ride, we often do a safety check of our bikes. We check brakes, lights, signals, tires, and gas. We make sure the bike is safe before we, and our passengers get on.

What is just as important, but less obvious, are the insurance coverages you should have. I strongly recommend that you make sure you are well protected by your own insurance policies. Having excellent health insurance to cover any medical bills will ensure you are not left owing substantial bills you incur from treatment following a crash.

Continue Reading Health Insurance for Motorcycle Riders

During these trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic, most Americans are doing all they can to stay healthy and “flatten the curve” in order to return to their normal lives. Many worry about their own well-being, along with their family’s, – both physically and financially, as scores of people have been laid off, been told to stay home from work because they are immune-compromised, and/or have been diagnosed as having Coronavirus (COVID-19). What rights does an individual have when they have been diagnosed with Coronavirus, and they believe they contracted it in a way that is related to their employment?

Continue Reading Workers’ Compensation During COVID-19