Think throwing your cigarette butt out the window is 'no big deal?' Wrong. It could land you a $500 fine in North Dakota.

You may do it without even thinking. Throwing a cigarette butt out your car window, maybe a gum wrapper or a plastic cup. Hopefully you don't do any of those things.

According to WDAY, to insure the cleanliness of our North Dakota highways, a fine increase of 400% has been approved. This would mean any person littering on a North Dakota highway could receive a $500 fine, which used to be $100.

The fine increase is an attempt to better protect our environment, animals and the people of North Dakota.

The new fine is getting a lot of media attention as most traffic violations are around $20. However, WDAY states that $11 billion dollars is spent each year on cleaning up litter. The most shocking statistic is that half of it is cigarette butts.

So, let's work together to keep our beautiful state clean... or you'll pay for it!

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