SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the general laws shall be amended by adding after section 14B, the following new section:

Section 14C.   No commercial motor vehicle shall be operated on public roads and no owner of such vehicle shall allow operation of such vehicle on a public road with an accumulation of snow or ice on the roof of such vehicle if the accumulation of such snow or ice or combination of snow and ice is one quarter of an inch thick or greater. It shall be the responsibility of the owner as well as the operator of such vehicle to ensure the removal of accumulated snow and ice from a vehicle before the vehicle is operated on any public road.

Commercial vehicle operators who violate any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars for each offense which does not cause personal injury or property damage and not less than ten thousand dollars for offenses resulting in personal injury or property damage.