Grass Clippings Are A Dangerous and Fatal Hazard for Motorcycle Riders

Posted by Will Garrity on 10th May 2019

When we encounter thick or wet grass on a roadway, the friction happening between our tires and the road decreases; this can quickly cause a crash. Thankfully there is a ‘green wave’ of citizens and legislators alike who are out there fighting to make our roads grass clipping-free. Many local communities have ordinances enforcing lawn waste, but there's nothing specifically in most states around the country for grass clippings. Here’s a look at some of the good that’s being done out there.

Pennsylvania Senator Camera Bartolotta is one of countless lawmakers fighting to make it illegal to leave grass trimmings on public roads. “Prohibiting grass clippings from roadways is an easy, commonsense solution to a deadly problem,” Bartolotta said in a news release. “Land owners have a right to manage and maintain their property as they see fit, but they also have a responsibility to ensure they do not create a lethal hazard for other motorists on public roadways by being negligent.” (SENT) They are the equivalent to driving over black ice. But this problem is not something isolated to Pennsylvania roads.
Representative Regina Huff of in Kentucky said it was enough of an issue, she wants to see something done. She's prefiled a bill for the next legislative session. That bill would add unsafe amounts of mowed grass dumped on the road to the criminal littering law, making it a class A misdemeanor. "It's kind of like when you hydroplane in the car. You don’t want to turn, you don’t wanna make any sudden movements. If it’s in a curve it’s extra scary, takes away all your traction,” Larry Mays with Kentucky Cycles and Auto in Richmond said. (FOX56)
Up in the motorcycle rider-friendly state of New York, laws are already in place to curb this issue. "It is especially dangerous for motorcycles, bicycles, but to all vehicles. A violator can be fined in local criminal court, but if it causes a crash, one could be sued civilly," the Broome County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook. (HVP)
On July 22, city council in Chillicothe, Ohio unanimously agreed to update city ordinance 311.01, placing injurious material or obstruction in street, to include grass, leaves and other debris. Those who knowingly violate the ordinance may be charged with a minor misdemeanor. (CHCG)
City Council in the city of Mentor, New Hampshire on July 2 passed an ordinance amendment to its code section entitled “Placing Injurious Material or Obstruction in Street.”
The amendment adds more specific language prohibiting people from depositing yard waste onto a roadway. Council added multipurpose paths and bike lanes prior to unanimously passing the legislation. (NH)

The awareness that’s spreading around this issue is phenomenal. It’s not something that 100% of people will ever follow and look, we understand that mowing your law, or working for a landscaping company, is a job that needs to be done quickly. But if you direct your blower in the direction away from the street, or just add an extra 5-10 minutes after you’re finished to sweep the roadway, that’s all it might take to save a life out there.