08/22/2026
🌱 DID YOU KNOW? LEAVING GRASS CLIPPINGS IN THE ROAD CAN BE A CRIME IN VIRGINIA
VINTON, Va. — With mowing season in full swing, here’s something homeowners and lawn-care crews should keep in mind: blowing grass clippings into the roadway isn’t just messy — if they create a hazard for traffic, it can violate Virginia law.
Virginia Code § 18.2-324 prohibits depositing soil, sand, mud, gravel “or other substances” on a highway in a way that creates a hazard to the traveling public. The law also requires hazardous material dropped or thrown onto a highway to be removed. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Grass clippings aren’t specifically named in the statute, so simply having a few blades of grass near the edge of the road isn’t automatically a criminal offense. But deliberately blowing or leaving a significant amount of grass on the roadway could fall under the law when it creates a dangerous condition.
That danger can be especially serious for motorcyclists and bicyclists. Fresh or wet grass can reduce traction and make a roadway unexpectedly slick when someone is braking or turning.
And a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia is not a minor traffic ticket. State law allows a penalty of up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both upon conviction.
The easy solution: when you finish mowing, blow the clippings back into your yard instead of into the street.
🏍️ A few extra minutes of cleanup could help prevent a serious crash.
Have you noticed people blowing grass clippings into the road around Vinton or Roanoke?
