Hanging Face Masks On Rearview Mirrors Could Cost You Big Time

As Minnesotans continue to fight the spread of COVID-19 many people have opted to wear face masks in public. I've seen several people wearing face masks in their vehicle as well as hanging the masks on their rear view mirror when they're not in use.

I've always heard that fuzzy dice, air fresheners and prom guarders were a big NO NO. So, I wondered if that also applied to hanging your face masks on your rearview mirror.

In short, the answer is yes, the law definitely applies to face masks as well. In Minnesota, it's illegal to hang anything in your rear view mirror.

Minnesota Statute 169.71 on windshields says, "A person shall not drive or operate any motor vehicle with ... any objects suspended between the driver and the windshield, other than: sun visors, rearview mirrors, driver feedback and safety monitoring equipment, GPS, an identity device, and electronic toll collection devices."

Law enforcement doesn't want to see anything in your window that could potentially cause an accident with another vehicle or possibly a pedestrian because your view of the road was obstructed. It can be dangerous.

This also applies to parking passes, etc. It's legal to hang them in your rearview mirror until the vehicle is in motion. Once you start driving, they all need to come down.

Law enforcement can pull you over if they see a mask hanging up in your vehicle and issue a citation or a warning. If you're wondering what the citation may cost you, according to the Sartell Police Department, the penalty is a $130 ticket.