The winter can be a dangerous time of year for drivers. One risk that they face is falling ice from overhead branches or bridges, large trucks or other vehicles. Obviously, there are many types of winter injuries involving motor vehicles, falling ice or other dangers. Solomon Law Firm has been successfully dedicated to helping injured people for 40 years.
Large icicles could become dangerous projectiles depending on how far they travel and how fast a vehicle is moving toward it. This has been shown in crashes throughout the winter months, such as one in which a 22-year-old driver was injured when a large piece of ice went through their windshield after coming loose from a box truck.
Driving with ice or snow on your vehicle is extremely dangerous, which is why it’s important to clear it off if there is any on yours. Heat up your vehicle before you get in to drive, and use a scraper to clear any ice on windows or the top of your vehicle.
It is the law in the State of New Hampshire that all vehicle operators are required to remove all snow and/or ice from their vehicles prior to driving on New Hampshire roads or highways. Failure to comply with “Jessica’s Law” is punishable by fine under New Hampshire RSA 265:79-b entitled “Negligent Driving” and also subjects a vehicle operator to a civil lawsuit if another person is injured due to an operator’s failure to clean snow and/or ice of his/her vehicle.
What should you do if you see a vehicle that has snow or ice coming off of it?
If you’re driving behind a vehicle that has a lot of snow or many pieces of ice coming off of it, then make sure you slow down, change lanes or back away. When ice comes off the top of a large truck at high speeds, it could penetrate a windshield or cause damage to the front end of your vehicle. That’s not to mention the potential for causing a crash because of a driver reacting to a large piece of ice coming toward them.
When ice flies off a vehicle, it’s called an ice missile. Ice missiles are extremely dangerous and can cause injuries and deaths. If you crash because an ice missile hits your vehicle, it’s important to seek medical attention and then look into your options for compensation.
