Many Michigan Residents Don’t Know This Is Illegal

The wintertime is one of those times that some people are really looking forward to while others are dreading. It's no secret that here in Michigan we experience some of the toughest winter conditions in the entire United States and this affects all of us differently. Some of us are really cold and despise the snow while others are infatuated with the winter wonderland.

With that being said, snow is one of the worst parts about winter right along with the icy road conditions. Living in Michigan and more specifically Southwest Michigan, we deal with Lake Effect snow which adds a couple inches to our initial snowfall totals and make the roads even more slippery. Along with slippery roads, there are walkways and driveways to shovel and cars to brush off.

Let's focus on that last one, the brushing off of cars can be one of the most annoying parts of the winter. The ice gets frozen to your windshield and windows, you and your car are cold, and there are inches of snow piled on top of your car. Most of us quickly wipe off the windows and windshield, hop in the car and the defrost handle everything else.

Well, you may want to think twice about doing that this winter in Michigan. Firstly, the more snow you leave on your car the longer it takes for your car to warm up which can negatively affect your vehicle. Secondly, this is illegal, and many people are either unaware or simply don't care. Michigan law says that you must remove all or as much snow as possible from your car.

This is a law because if you're driving down the road at a high enough speed all of this snow can fly into the sight of other drivers. Or worse, you could go to stop, and a large sheet of ice and snow can cover your windshield and take away your vision while driving. Neither of these are safe for you or other drivers on the road and that's why this common choice is illegal.