NH State Police Mean Business About Clearing Snow From Your Roof

It can be a shocking experience when you're driving on the highway and snow or worse, a sheet of ice, comes flying up from the roof of the car in front of you. Because of Jessica's Law, drivers in New Hampshire are legally required to clear snow and ice off their cars before getting on the road.

WMUR reporter Erin Fehlau posted this jarring photo on her Instagram this week and captioned it:

"This is what happened to a windshield yesterday on a local highway when ice flew off another vehicle. This is why NH has Jessica’s Law which requires drivers to clear off their vehicles before hitting the road."

People know how dangerous not clearing ice and snow off their roof can be, but sometimes laziness prevails. Every single winter, New Hampshire State Police make a point to remind drivers that Jessica's Law in our state is no joke. You MUST clean off your roof before driving or there will be severe consequences.

What will happen if you decide to drive without clearing off your car? First-time violators can be fined up to $500, and multiple offenders can be fined up to $1,000, according to WMUR. It's not worth it, people!

Jessica's Law came into effect in 2002. Library Guides reports that a sheet of ice flew off a tractor trailer truck and hit another one, causing a head-on collision in which Jessica Smith, 20, was killed. Jessica's mother, Linda Smith, has said in the past that "It takes not even five minutes to clean off your car. It can take three seconds to kill somebody."

7 Invasive Insect Species That Can Damage Crops and Other Plants in New Hampshire

In an effort to inform the public on the types of invasive species that are known to be found in their state, the USDA offers a handy dandy "Pest Tracker". This allows you to simply click the name of your state from the drop-down menu provided to see pictures of the different insects and weeds, along with descriptions of the type of plant life they target and the damage they can do if they're not dealt with.