'Get the snow off:' Photo shared on social media urges drivers to clear windows

A photo that circulated on social media last week of a van in Corner Brook driving with all its windows covered in snow has stirred up some conversation and a warning from police.

Stella Michel took the photo after she spotted the van travelling down Beothuk Crescent.

"I couldn't even see any of the windows," Michel said."I had my phone in my hand and I just snapped a quick pic as he was going down the road."

Michel said she could only see the passenger side of the vehicle at first, but when the vehicle made a turn onto Elizabeth Street, she noticedthe driver's side was also covered with snow.

You don't go out on the road like that, I wouldn't even pull out of my driveway like that.- Stella Michel

"It's an accident waiting to happen. For the sake of five minutes, or even less, that it would have took this person to brush that snow off their vehicle, they could have hit somebody," she said.

"If you can't look out for your own safety, look out for the safety of others. You don't go out on the road like that, I wouldn't even pull out of my driveway like that."

Michel posted the photo on Twitter and Facebook in hopes of encouraging drivers to clear their windows.

"The roads are snow covered and slippery, and that's a danger in itself.Get the snow off your vehicle so you don't add to that danger."

Cst. Shawna Park with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said police do regularly see vehicles on the streets of Corner Brook driving with snow blocking the driver's visibility.

"We do experience this more often than we'd like to, especially on mornings that we have a lot of snow or stormy, blustery [weather]," said Park.

"It is a contributing factor to dangerous driving conditions"

Fines and demerit points

She said police take snow covered vehicles quite seriously, and the infraction can result in a monetary fine, as well as points off your licence

"Under the Highway Traffic Act, it is an offence to drive your vehicle with your windshield, your side or your rear windows covered completely, or even partially, by snow and ice," Park said.

"So, in any instance where our officers see someone with their windshield partially or completely covered in snow or ice, we do issue summary offence tickets."

Let us know and we will send an officer by.- Cst. Shawna Park

Park urges the public to notify police if they see a vehicle driving with their vision obstructed by snow or ice.

"If someone in the general public does see a vehicle that is snow covered and the driver proceeds to drive that vehicle into traffic, we would certainly like to know that, possibly with a licence plate number or at least a location," she said.

"If it's occurring, call us right away and let us know and we will send an officer by."