Vehicle Laws - Dangerous Accumulations of Snow and Ice - Removal From Exposed Vehicle Surfaces
Summary
SB698 creates a new Maryland traffic offense aimed at preventing drivers from operating or towing vehicles with dangerous accumulations of snow and ice on exposed surfaces. The bill defines “exposed vehicle surface” broadly to include the hood, trunk, windshield, windows, roof, truck cab, and the tops of trailers and semitrailers. Before operating or towing a vehicle, a person must remove, or make reasonable efforts to remove, snow and ice that poses a threat to persons or property.
The bill also limits enforcement and sets out exceptions. Police may enforce the new requirement only as a secondary action when a driver is already detained for a suspected violation of another law, unless the violation contributes to an accident causing property damage, death, or serious bodily injury. The bill exempts situations where compliance would violate workplace safety rules or threaten the operator’s health or safety. It establishes escalating fines for noncommercial and commercial vehicles, with higher penalties for commercial vehicles and for violations that cause an accident with injury, death, or property damage.
Impact
SB698 adds a new section to the Transportation Article, § 21-1135, creating statewide requirements for snow and ice removal from vehicles and trailers and authorizing civil fines for noncompliance. It affects drivers, commercial carriers, towing operations, and law enforcement by establishing a new safety-based traffic rule, a secondary enforcement standard, and enhanced penalties when a violation contributes to a crash. The act takes effect October 1, 2026.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It passed the Senate 45-0 and the House 128-0, and the committee report was favorable with amendments. The unanimous votes suggest the measure was viewed as a common-sense roadway safety bill rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main policy issues reflected in the text are how far the duty to clear snow and ice should extend, when police may enforce the rule, and how to balance safety with practical workplace concerns. The bill’s exceptions for workplace safety and operator health address concerns from commercial drivers and employers, while the secondary-enforcement limitation appears designed to reduce concerns about primary traffic stops. The higher fines for commercial vehicles and for crashes involving injury, death, or property damage may have been the most significant enforcement-related policy choices, though no recorded transcript shows active disagreement.