Don't be like this driver: Why you can get a ticket in Vermont for ice on your windshield

The Vermont State Police recently posted a photo on the department's social media accounts showing a vehicle with a small patch of ice and snow scraped off an otherwise coated windshield.

"An interesting (and dangerous) take on 'peekaboo,'" the post read.

The hastily cleared car earned the driver a $105 ticket, according to the post. But was the ticket for not clearing the snow and ice off the car? Yes and no.

Sgt. Jay Riggen said in an interview with the Free Press that the ticket was for obstruction of the windshield, not for the snow itself. There is no law in Vermont that enforces the clearing of ice and snow from cars, Riggen said.

Walking in a winter wonderland: Ice Castles New Hampshire opens for two month season

Vermont's neighbor to the east does have a law regarding clearing vehicles. New Hampshire has Jessica's Law, named after a young woman killed by the after effects of ice flying off a vehicle on the road. The law requires drivers to clear their cars off before driving them.

Don't forget the furry friends: Weekend VT forecast calls for below-zero temperatures: Here's how you can protect your pet

Riggen said he doesn't want the risk of a ticket to be why Vermonters clear their vehicles.

"It's about safety, it's a matter of decency," he said. "What we're really doing is preventing a tragedy."

If a driver's unscraped ice or snow causes an accident, the driver could be held civilly liable or charged with negligent driving, Riggen said.

Cold times ahead: 'Dangerously cold' wind chills and snow on tap for Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend

Building in more time in the morning to scrape and brush your car in the winter is Riggen's most practical recommendation. He said enforcement is never his preference and he hopes public awareness caused by posts like the department's can prevent people from creating dangerous situations on the roads.

Contact Urban Change Reporter Lilly St. Angelo at lstangelo@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @lilly_st_ang

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont laws: You can get a ticket for not clearing snow off your car