Snow fines to be issued to careless drivers

When you leave for work in the morning, do you make sure that the car is free of snow? Most people only clear the front windscreen so they can see the road ahead but not the rear, lights or the roof of the car. Yes it does take a long time to shift it all and many will argue that they just do not have the time to spare in the mornings without the risk of running late. Some people mostly women cannot even reach the roof of the car so they just leave it but in the last year alone, many people have caused or been involved on accidents because of people who haven’t cleared the snow of their car completely.

Police have announced that they will start to fine motorists £60 for not clearing off all the snow on a vehicle before using it; you could also face having 3 points endorsed on your licence. This may seem like a harsh thing to do but under the Highway Code (rule 229), it clearly states that drivers can be prosecuted for careless and inconsiderate driving if they cause an accident because of snow on the roof of the car. Although police officers are routinely on the beat, they do not stop such offenders as resources are limited but this could soon change.

Although there is no official word from the Metropolitan police regarding this, many people do not see this being implemented any time soon. It seems a shame because snow falling from the roof of a car can be very dangerous for the driver and those around. If vision becomes obscured as a result of this, accidents will happen and unfortunately people will get hurt. There have been reports of ice falling from cars that have landed on the roads causing dangerous driving conditions for drivers and also pedestrians who have tried to cross the road unaware that there is ice present.

Motorists have a responsibility to ensure that all snow is removed from their car for their own safety as they are most likely to suffer the consequences more than anyone else. If clearing the snow off in the mornings takes too long, then cover the car with a car cover to help speed up the journey in the mornings. The more people take action, the likelihood of accidents occurring are also less; the government should raise more awareness to alert people to take action before it is too late.