Is it Against The Law to Blow Grass in The Street?

The sound of lawnmowers mostly peaks in the summer, when the smell of freshly cut grass feels all too familiar and fills the air. While that’s exciting for most, there are the potential problems grass clippings can cause if left in the wrong area.

When you mow, the clippings of the grass are usually left behind. In some cases, they are bagged or left right there on the lawn. Blowing them in the street can lead to several dangerous scenarios, including accidents from a thick surface with dead grass and other components.

So is having such clippings blown and strewn across the street illegal? Read on!

What Does the Law Say?

Grass clippings on the road are dangerous in many states in the United States. For example, South Carolina prohibits it in many municipalities, making blowing grass in the streets unlawful. Also, in Little Rock, Arkansas, the municipal code confirms that having grass clippings on the street is unlawful and a misdemeanor.

Pennsylvania is not far behind. When you’re mowing in this state, blowing the clippings into the street is illegal. If you do that, the law requires that you remove them from the street immediately after you finish. As for Florida, blowing materials like grasses into the road, stormwater system, or waterbodies is illegal and enforceable.

In Texas, some cities make it illegal to blow or sweep yard waste into streets, sidewalks, driveways, or storm drains. If caught, there’s a real possibility that you could receive a ticket for this violation.

Minnesota takes a stance because you’re requested to help protect the waters by reporting illicit discharges like blowing leaves and grass onto the street or washing spilled fertilizer into the street. Such actions are considered illegal.

Georgia and Ohio states do not have articles that say a person can’t blow grass onto the street. However, you can’t take advantage of that by blowing grass into the street. It might not be inherently illegal, but if things like glass, bottles, and wire are included, a person can be in deeper trouble. That’s because such objects are labeled injurious in several local city codes.

Dangers of Leaving Cut Grass in the Street

Road Hazards

Generally, grass and grass clippings comprise about 85 percent water, so it doesn’t matter whether wet or dry. When they hit the street, experts say they can be dangerous to anyone traveling on the road, especially motorcyclists.

When grass clippings come between a motorcycle’s tires and the pavement, things can get dangerous quickly, especially on curves. A good reason for this is that a motorcyclist needs a contact patch between the tires and the asphalt. It’s a safety risk when anything else, like cut grass, stands in that area.

Further, dry grass clippings can threaten riders because they can blow up into the rider’s face. Grass clippings should be treated as rubbish if there’s no alternative and safer way to use them. That makes them wastes you must dispose of through regular garbage collection or mulch back into the yard. In many cases, residents of some states who violate the law could face a fine.

Clogged Storm Drains

It’s such a bother to have clogged storm drains, especially if cut grass clippings caused them. It’s one spot of bother for municipal officials when the clippings wash into the drains.

Along with other debris or trash like leaves, grass clippings lead to clogs that cause water to back up into homes and businesses. When dry, the clippings get left on the street again, especially if they do not decompose quickly.

Many states, like Florida, do not allow homeowners to leave their blown grass clippings on the street.

Danger to Aquatic Life

Another sticking point to consider is what goes into the stormwater system and where it eventually leads to. The grass clippings somehow find their way to waterways with excess nutrients that could negatively affect aquatic life.

In addition, the grass clippings may be carrying fertilizers and other lawn-polluting additives. For example, nitrogen is beneficial to lawns, but when it can get into local storm systems, streams, and rivers via the grass clippings.

You Might Need an Attorney

When a homeowner or lawn care company negligently blows grass into the street, an otherwise calm and sweet day can quickly take a tragic turn. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident resulting from carelessly dropped grass clippings on the street, you can contact an expert for help.

Accidents from grass clippings on the street are a genuine cause for concern. Since many states have laws regarding this issue, homeowners and lawn care companies must adhere to them. They can get rid of grasses in a proper way.

Innovative Ways to Deal With Excess Grass Clippings

1. Boost Your Compost

Composting is a great environmentally friendly practice that has grown popular in recent times because it decreases levels of unnecessary waste ending up in landfills. It also helps keep grass clippings off the street, preventing accidents. So get going with your compost.

2. Turn it into mulch

Mulch is just as important a component for your lawn and landscaping. When you mow your lawn, you’re getting piles of free mulch.

Rather than blow the grass clippings, mulching them provides an environmentally and economically beneficial option. The benefits include reduced weed growth, better moisture conservation, and reduced erosion.

3. Leave it be

Yes, leave the cut grass where it lay in the yard. There’s no need to blow them onto the street. Look at it this way, if the grass clippings are less than an inch long, leave them in the yard. That will serve as natural fertilizer, returning nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

Generally, it creates a habitat for beneficial microbes, insects, and earthworms.

Final Thoughts: Blowing Grass in the Street

Blowing grass in the street is not ideal. Even if it weren’t unlawful, it would leave the street dirty and unfit for road users like motorcyclists. So think again if you’re thinking of blowing grass clippings and debris in the street. You may be setting up a scene for an accident.

States like Texas, Florida, and Minnesota have made blowing grass into the street illegal. To avoid potential lawsuits, try the innovative ways to deal with grass clippings outlined in this article.

Now that you know this, keep your lawn tidy and ensure no clippings get blown into the street. Find out excellent and efficient ways to deal with cut grass.