Not clearing snow from your vehicle could cost you, according to London police.
An officer patrolling the city's snowy streets Tuesday morning stopped two drivers roughly 20 minutes apart for having a large amount of snow on their vehicles. In both cases, the vehicle's rear window was completely blocked by the white stuff.
"This is not only dangerous for the driver but for any other vehicles in the area because a lot of that snow will blow off and obstruct the view of the driver who is right behind them," said Constable Sandasha Bough. "What the Highway Traffic Act states is that you need to be able to see the highway and any intersecting highway through your windows. When we are seeing these cars on the street with the entire rear window covered in snow, the officers know the driver is unable to see behind them."
Bough noted officers tend to see an increase in the number of vehicles travelling along city streets with snow-covered windows and rooftops during the morning commute as people are in a hurry to get to work. She urges drivers to leave a little earlier in order to allow time to properly clear the vehicle off before pulling out of the driveway.
The drivers of the two vehicles stopped Tuesday were each issued a $110 fine.
⚠️ In case you missed our earlier reminders...CLEAR OFF YOUR VEHICLE AND WINDOWS #ldnont! ❄? An officer just stopped this car at Richmond Street near Windermere Road for having their window obstructed. The driver was issued a $110 fine. #WinterSafety #SNOW pic.twitter.com/9pCU79Uh9H
— London Police Service ON (@lpsmediaoffice) December 1, 2020