As if the cold and gloomy winter months weren’t difficult to endure enough, drivers have to be aware of some specific laws which affect them only at this time of year. Driving in the rain, ice and snow is dangerous and these laws are here to protect drivers and others around them, but some of them are quite surprising. In fact, in December research carried out by Admiral Insurance found 44% of drivers weren’t aware of some of the winter driving laws – and breaking them can lead to a hefty fine and points on the license.
Don’t leave the car running
On cold mornings it’s tempting to turn the car’s engine on and leave it running to warm up and de-ice on its own, while you finish your coffee and get the kids out of the house. But doing this will invalidate your insurance in the event of someone stealing it. Insurance policies stipulate that there is a duty of care on the car owner’s part, which means they must not do anything which could avoidably lead to damage or theft of the car. This applies even if your car is on a private driveway. Instead, try leaving a covering on the car’s windows overnight so that you can simply peel it off in the morning and remove the layer of ice. A blanket would do the trick. It’s important to note that you can have the car running while you are next to it de-icing the windows, you just can’t leave it unattended.
Clear every window of ice
When de-icing a car in the morning you must make sure you have done every single widow before driving of, not just the front and back windscreens. The law stipulates that you must be able to see out of each pane of glass to be road-legal. This also applies to your wing mirrors, so don’t forget to clear them as well. It doesn’t only apply to ice or snow on the outside either, all panes of glass must be de-misted from the inside too, so blast that aircon.
Avoid driving with snow on the roof
While it isn’t a crime to drive with snow on the roof of your car, if the snow falls off – and it likely will as the car warms up and starts moving – it could fall onto your front and rear windscreen. Not only is the obstruction to your view dangerous, if a cop spots you they will probably pull you over, and if you have a crash with snow on your windscreen it could invalidate your insurance.
Keep the lights and number plates clean
You can be prosecuted if your lights are not bright enough or your numberplate cannot be read, so at this time of year pay special attention to keeping them clean. Muck and dirt on the road builds up very quickly, so to be safe you should check before you set off on every journey. Keep an old cloth and some glass cleaner in the car to wipe them down.
Avoid standing water near pedestrians
Flooded roads are an increasing issue here in the UK, but it is illegal to drive through water in a way which causes it to splash a pedestrian, even if done so innocently. This is considered ‘driving without reasonable consideration of other persons’ and can lead to a £5,000 fine.
Keyword: Winter driving rules which could land you a fine