HARRISBURG (Jan. 22, 2015) – State Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton/Lehigh) reintroduced legislation that would require the removal of snow and ice from tractor-trailer trucks before driving.
“Ice dislodged from rapidly moving trucks is very dangerous – and sometimes deadly,” Boscola said in Senate floor remarks today. “While public awareness outreach is the key to this process, we must underscore the seriousness of this issue with the force of law.”
Under her bill, drivers would be required to make “all reasonable efforts” to remove accumulated snow or ice from their trucks before driving. If a police officer would determine that accumulated ice or snow “may pose a threat to persons or property,” a driver could be fined from $25 to $75.
Boscola said current law only applies if ice debris causes serious bodily injury or death (fines ranges from $200 to $1,000 for each offense). She said her proposal would strengthen the existing law by deterring drivers from leaving ice on their trucks — preventing tragedies before they happen.
The Lehigh Valley lawmaker commended some local businesses for taking the initiative to construct ice scraping systems for their trucks. She said she hopes other businesses will use the savings from the ten-year low in fuel prices to install similar scraping systems. She said it is in their best interests since the added weight on their trucks caused by ice increases fuel use, causes greater wear to the vehicle, and worsens the wear and tear on our roadways.
Boscola said her legislation was prompted by the tragic death of a local woman, Christine Lambert, who was killed by an 8-inch chunk of flying ice while driving to visit her family on Christmas Day in 2005. Boscola has re-introduced the legislation in every ensuing legislative session.
She said she is more optimistic about the bill’s prospects this session with Gov. Tom Wolf and many new lawmakers in office.
“Too many truckers let highway winds do their snow removal for them,” Boscola said. “Snow can easily freeze, harden and turn into chunks of ice that can dislodge from a moving vehicle.”
Source: Sen. Boscola's Office
“Ice dislodged from rapidly moving trucks is very dangerous – and sometimes deadly,” Boscola said in Senate floor remarks today. “While public awareness outreach is the key to this process, we must underscore the seriousness of this issue with the force of law.”
Under her bill, drivers would be required to make “all reasonable efforts” to remove accumulated snow or ice from their trucks before driving. If a police officer would determine that accumulated ice or snow “may pose a threat to persons or property,” a driver could be fined from $25 to $75.
Boscola said current law only applies if ice debris causes serious bodily injury or death (fines ranges from $200 to $1,000 for each offense). She said her proposal would strengthen the existing law by deterring drivers from leaving ice on their trucks — preventing tragedies before they happen.
The Lehigh Valley lawmaker commended some local businesses for taking the initiative to construct ice scraping systems for their trucks. She said she hopes other businesses will use the savings from the ten-year low in fuel prices to install similar scraping systems. She said it is in their best interests since the added weight on their trucks caused by ice increases fuel use, causes greater wear to the vehicle, and worsens the wear and tear on our roadways.
Boscola said her legislation was prompted by the tragic death of a local woman, Christine Lambert, who was killed by an 8-inch chunk of flying ice while driving to visit her family on Christmas Day in 2005. Boscola has re-introduced the legislation in every ensuing legislative session.
She said she is more optimistic about the bill’s prospects this session with Gov. Tom Wolf and many new lawmakers in office.
“Too many truckers let highway winds do their snow removal for them,” Boscola said. “Snow can easily freeze, harden and turn into chunks of ice that can dislodge from a moving vehicle.”
Source: Sen. Boscola's Office
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