Patrol: Get rid of the ‘snow mattress’
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging drivers to do away with the “snow mattress” on their roof.
The patrol is referring to what happens when a blanket of snow remains on top of a car. Though it may sound funny, it could cause serious issues.
“We received the photo from a trooper in Boone County. They were seeing problems of snow flying off the back of the vehicles,” said patrol Sgt. Scott White. “And then when people stopped at stoplights, that snow slid off and then down across the windshield, blocking the driver’s view.”
Public Service Announcement
Please remove the snow mattresses off your vehicles before driving. They’re impossible to tie down. pic.twitter.com/7pFR1PZipL
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) January 14, 2019
White said this could also cause issues on clear roads because drivers will not expect a large “snow boulder” in the middle of the road.
“We have taken a few calls of incidents in which snow has flown off of vehicles and struck other vehicles,” he said.
White also said this is something they have to keep an eye on every year.
If the snow impairs a driver’s vision or causes an accident, the driver could receive a ticket. But the price may vary by county.
