Minnesotans pride themselves on their tough winter-hardened survival skills. It's no wonder, as Forbes magazine has ranked Minneapolis the coldest large city in America and International Falls, Minn., is often referred to as "the nation's ice box." With such extreme winter weather hitting the state's largest cities, Minnesota laws governing winter driving are necessarily strict. Windshields are one such problem area; cracks, ice and road grime can all work to reduce driver visibility and heighten already tough driving conditions.
There are two common approaches states take in the regulation of windshields. Either the state has specific laws that govern how big and where a crack may exist in your windshield before you must replace it -- most states consider any crack appearing within the sweep of the wiper blades to mean required replacement -- or the state regulates the clear vision of the driver. In this case, states leave much of the interpretation and application of the law up to individual law enforcement officers who may see a windshield and feel it is dangerous and needs to be replaced.
Minnesota Statute prohibits a driver from operating a motor vehicle with: "a windshield cracked or discolored to an extent to limit or obstruct proper vision." If the windshield is damaged such that the driver's vision is obstructed, you will have to replace the windshield. Additionally, Minnesota courts have ruled that any tinting of a front windshield "discolors" the windshield enough that it obstructs the driver's vision.
Traffic enforcement officers generally ticket pending replacement. This means that your ticket will often be suspended for a few days, and you can avoid the fine by replacing the damaged or obstructed windshield and bringing proof -- such as pictures or a receipt -- to the police station, Department of Motor Vehicles office or courthouse. You may also have to replace the windshield to have your car passed for its vehicle inspection.
