Five laws you might be breaking while driving in the snow

There's plenty of things to remember when driving in the snow.
Be careful if you drive in the snow!Be careful if you drive in the snow!
Be careful if you drive in the snow!

From making sure you're fully prepared with your winter emergency kit to keeping a watchful eye on other motorists, it can be quite a stressful task.

But to make matters worse, there are some laws about driving in the snow that you may never have known about, let alone actively avoid them.

Be careful if you drive in the snow!Be careful if you drive in the snow!
Be careful if you drive in the snow!
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So if you're getting behind the wheel in the coming days, make sure you don't do anything illegal.

HOW'S YOUR VISION?

The Highway Code stipulates that if driving in adverse weather conditions you must, by law, be able to see out of every glass panel in your vehicle.

TURN IT OFF

Be careful if you drive in the snow!Be careful if you drive in the snow!
Be careful if you drive in the snow!

Leaving the engine running on a vehicle parked on the public road is an offence under regulations 98 and 107 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, which reinforces rule 123 of the Highway Code.

If you fail to turn off your engine when instructed, you may receive a fixed penalty notice of £20, which will increase to £40 if unpaid within a specific time frame. It's worth noting, though, that you are allowed to leave your engine running on private property, such as a driveway.

SNOW ON TOP

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There is no law stating it is illegal to drive with snow on your roof, if it falls off onto your windscreen while driving or flies into the path of another car then you could be penalised for such offences as 'driving without due consideration' or 'using a motor vehicle in a dangerous condition' - again, not worth the risk.

REFLECTIONS

It’s imperative that all your mirrors are clear and demisted along with your vehicle’s glass area – don’t be tempted to drive off before your vision is 100 per cent clear.

If you don’t adhere to these rules you could leave yourself open to a £60 fine and three penalty points on your licence, at worst under the offences of careless or inconsiderate driving.

STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE

If you are unlucky enough to break down in the snow at the side of the motorway and you have a furry friend in your car, the law states you must leave them in the car while you get out and move to a safe place.