House Republican Press Release

February 8, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

STATE REP. CAFERO’S ‘FLYING ICE’ BILL ADVANCES

HARTFORD – House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr.’s efforts to protect wintertime motorists from flying ice and snow from other vehicles advanced today when his proposal was raised as a bill following Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s public support for the legislation.

Cafero, of Norwalk, thanked Rell for seeing the merits of his proposal to fine motorists between $200 and $1,500 if police determine that accumulated snow and ice poses a threat to other drivers or it actually strikes another car. The Judiciary Committee today raised the bill for consideration.

“I am grateful to Gov. Rell for incorporating my proposal into her overall budget this week. This is a very real problem and we have seen in recent weeks the serious consequences of cars being struck, causing major damage,’’ said Cafero. He first came up with the idea more than seven years ago but some colleagues snickered at the idea.

Drivers can be hit with fines of between $200 and $500 if police determine the snow and ice poses a threat. If the material strikes another vehicle or a person, the fines raise to between $500 and $1,000 for non-commercial motorists, and between $1,000 and $1,500 for commercial drivers.   

The issue was brought back to the public’s attention this winter when the car being driven by an East Hartford woman driven near Bridgeport on I-95 was hit by flying ice and snow from a truck and the windshield was demolished. Governor Rell witnessed another incident in December on I-91 and issued a public statement warning of the dangers.

“When snow and ice blows off a car at 65 m.p.h. it poses a real public safety concern for anyone nearby. The accumulated snow and ice hinders a drivers’ vision and can hit anyone else on the road,’’ Cafero said.

Currently police have latitude about whether snow and ice poses a threat and police can only impose a fine of $117 for failure to secure a load properly. This legislation increases the penalties for violators significantly, Cafero said.