ST. LOUIS – Missouri, has a law about obstructive driving, which means anything that can block your driving view and then render the vehicle unsafe to drive. Cracked windshields and hanging things from review mirrors can be considered breaking the law.
In Missouri, obstructed driving means “when the view is obstructed upon approaching within one hundred feet of any bridge, viaduct, tunnel or when approaching within one hundred feet of or at any intersection or railroad grade crossing,” according to regulation 304.016.
Missouri’s laws about hanging items from the rearview mirror are subjective, like the laws about disability parking place placards, which say that they should only be shown when the car is stopped.
There is a rule on mirrors that states that mirrors should not be obstructed; they should have a clear view of the road behind them. The side mirrors should be visible as well.
Any cracks, breaks, or chips in windshields that are more than two inches wide and in the driver’s line of sight are considered dangerous. This includes windshields that are fully broken, missing pieces, or have breaks with sharp edges, all of which are very dangerous.
Even though hanging things from mirrors isn’t technically illegal, in Missouri, it’s not a good idea because it can be dangerous. But in Illinois, it is illegal to hang anything from your rearview mirror if it blocks your view while driving.
The Illinois law says that you shouldn’t have anything in your car that blocks your view through the front windshield while you’re driving. This is to ensure you can see the road clearly for safety.
However, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a law preventing police officers from stopping and searching your car just because they suspect you violated this rule. They need other reasons to stop or search your vehicle.
It’s not likely that you will get pulled over for hanging something small, like a tiny tree. Any object in the driver’s way, though, increases the chance of being pulled over.
