You Could be Fined $10,000 for Doing This Driving in Indiana

The majority of Hoosiers know the rules of the road, but some just seem to do what they want...even though the effects and the fines that come with those things could cost you a lot of money.

There are many reasons not to do certain things while driving. For example, everyone knows that it is illegal to text while driving. If caught doing so, it could result in a Class C infraction and the driver could receive a pretty hefty fine. On top of that, points may also be assessed against the driver’s license. Even with that, you still see people driving with their phones in their hands. Another example would be something that happened just yesterday in the town of Chandler, Indiana.

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Don't Do This While Driving in Indiana

Yesterday, I was driving home from work, and when I got into the town of Chandler, I noticed a police officer pulled over, a fire truck driving slowly along the shoulder, and smoke along the side of the road. I wasn't sure if there was a controlled burn or not. However, when I got home that evening, I discovered what really happened.

Chandler Police and Chandler Fire responded to two separate grass fires within 10 minutes on SR 62. This was caused by someone throwing out a cigarette from their vehicle. I'm sure you have seen it done several times (maybe you have even done it yourself) where you have been driving and the car in front of you threw out their cigarette butt onto the roadway.

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According to the Chandler Police Department:

<div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto">Be aware that it is illegal to throw a lit cigarette or other burning material from your vehicle. If officers see this occur you will be stopped and cited for the infraction below.</div><div dir="auto"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto">IC 35-45-3-3 Throwing burning material from a moving motor vehicle:</div><div dir="auto"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto">Sec. 3. A person who throws from a moving motor vehicle:</div><div dir="auto">(1) a lighted cigarette, cigar, or match; or</div><div dir="auto">(2) other burning material;</div><div dir="auto">commits a Class A infraction.</div></div>

So, please, if you smoke, don't throw out your cigarette butts. You could cause serious harm to the environment or potentially the drivers around you. One burning cigarette butt could start a massive fire in just seconds. According to the Indiana State Police, "throwing burning material from any moving vehicle is illegal and it can cost you a fine of up to $10,000."

That's a pretty big fine to pay. So, be smart. The Indiana State Police suggests that you:

Use a car ashtray or portable ashtray to dispose of cigarette butts, ashes, and lighting material.
Keep a litter bag in your vehicle.
Do not throw any litter out of vehicle windows.

I'm not sure if the driver who threw the cigarette butt in Chandler was found, but if they were, I'm sure that they weren't too happy with the consequences. Let this be a reminder for you to not be that person.

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Anything can be a weapon if used as such. Large rocks, baseball bats, golf clubs, hammers, etc., etc. However, those objects aren't designed to be used as weapons. These seven, on the other hand, are, and you are completely within your rights to have them in Hoosier State.

KEEP READING: 40 Real Indiana Towns with Quirky, Weird, and Funny Names

Outside the major cities, the Hoosier state is full of tiny little towns you've probably passed through on your way to one of those cities. Most of them are likely 100 to 150 years old, or older, and have been around far longer than the large metropolitan areas such as Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Evansville. Typically, they were started by early settlers who found their way to the state and decided to make it home. Eventually, others would join them, and a community was formed. Over time, as the surrounding areas grew, most of them were folded into those areas and governed by the nearest city or county's governing body officially making them "unincorporated," meaning they did not have their own formally organized municipal government.

A scroll through Wikipedia's long list of unincorporated communities in Indiana shows several of them have names that by today's standards would be considered weird, quirky, or just downright right funny. These are my 40 favorities.