WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg driver is warning people to clear their vehicles of snow, after receiving a hefty fine from police.
Jonathan Mccullough was driving to a hockey game on Friday, when he was pulled over in Southdale by police.
“I was kind of just going through my mind of things I could have possibly done wrong. When he pulled me over he asked for my license and why I had so much snow on my roof,” said Mccullough.
Snow had piled a few inches on his van to the roof rack said Maccullough, but that was enough to earn him a fine of $237.50.
“He went back and wrote me a ticket, and told me to pull over, and move over off of somebody’s driveway and brush it off right away.”
According to the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act, all loads on a vehicle must be secured. Mccullough’s ticket referenced snow as an unsecure load, which means any vehicle with snow piled on top can be in violation of the law.
Constable Rob Carver with Winnipeg Police said it’s a common sense approach to keep drivers safe.
“If there’s snow on your vehicle, it could pose a threat to the driver behind you. It needs to be cleared,” said Carver.
With the amount of snow Manitoba has received this winter, Carver said it’s especially important for drivers to be clearing their vehicles every snowfall, before it can freeze.
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“If that flies off your vehicle on Route 90 or something, and hits a vehicle behind you, it could cause a catastrophe.”
Mccullough said he hasn’t heard of the law, and he wasn’t aware he was in violation of the Highway Traffic Act.
He wants to see more public education in driving schools, so no one else has to pay like he did.
“I’ve never heard of this before. There definitely needs to be some sort of initiative for it,” said Mccullough.
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