Snow and ice on trucks is a big problem. It can especially be an issue for long-haul truckers who come from warm locations and who drive across the country. Truckers who are used to dealing with snow know what is expected of them, while truckers who are from warm weather locations may not be as familiar with encountering snow. The bottom line, however, is that every trucker needs to understand when a vehicle must be cleaned up and needs to take steps to get the snow and ice off the big rig in order to prevent Kansas truck accidents.

Snow and Ice Present a Risk to Truck Safety

Trucking Info reports that cold-weather states are increasingly recognizing the threat that snow and ice present on the roads. States have thus begun to pass laws mandating that snow and ice be cleared from trucks before trucks get onto the road.

One proposed bill, for example, would give law enforcement authorities the opportunity to stop trucks if the law enforcement officer believed that snow or ice accumulation on the truck posed a threat to property or persons. The language of the bill imposes an affirmative duty on the driver of any vehicle weighing 48,000 pounds or more. Drivers of such vehicles must “make all reasonable efforts to remove all accumulated ice or snow from the motor vehicle.” Drivers would be fined for snow or ice accumulations on trucks, regardless of whether it came lose. However, if snow or ice fell from a moving vehicle and hit another car or pedestrian and caused serious bodily injury, the driver could be fined up to $1,000 for each offense.

Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Sedgwick County 3 Compound Drive Hutchinson, KS 67502 Phone: 620-662-3435 Fax: 620-662-3445
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