Most people don’t know road clippings in the street could cause any hazard or legal trouble. It sounds innocent enough. Many will leave their road trimmings scattered about the roadway, yet recently, concerns about them have begun to arise. Online debates have taken place as to the legality of this practice, with many residents arguing that there is no such law to prohibit putting your day’s grass clippings in the road. So why is this causing such a heated debate?

Road Hazards

Besides the obvious aesthetics of grass in the road that some may not like, the real hazard of lawn clippings in the road comes from the slipperiness that the grass can cause, especially for motorcycle riders. On a curve, or even on a straightaway, riding over grass trimmings is no different than riding in the rain. There’s less friction between the ground and wheels. Motorcycles have two wheels and have a harder time balancing, so the risk of getting into an accident is that much higher for them.

Laws Regarding Grass Clippings

While no state law prohibits the practice of putting your lawn clippings in the road, there are state laws that prohibit throwing dangerous or obstructing debris in the roadway. North Carolina General Statute Chapter 136 Article 7 (§ 136-91) states that “No person shall throw, place, or deposit any glass or other sharp or cutting substance or any injurious obstruction in or upon any highway or public vehicular area.” In addition, cities such as Lexington and Thomasville prohibit residents from such behavior. For example, the Lexington code of ordinances states, “It shall be unlawful for any person to scatter refuse about or litter any public or private street or area or place” (Section 10.34-1). The code also defines the term “refuse” to include yard waste and grass clippings in section 10.1.

Despite it not being illegal in the entire state of either North or South Carolina, many police officials urge homeowners to keep this debris out of the road to eliminate even the risk of motorcyclists slipping on this and getting into a dangerous wreck or sustaining severe injuries. Motorcycles are at a greater risk of getting into collisions or wrecks and sustaining severe injuries. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in North Carolina (Hickory, Charlotte, Greenville) and South Carolina (Columbia, Rock-Hill) are experienced in this domain and have assisted numerous clients with their lawsuits against responsible parties.

If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident caused by a road hazard, contact our firm TODAY at (800) 351-3008. We can help YOU seek compensation!