Is it legal to drive without clearing the snow from your car?

Whenever we get a big pile of snow, I see idiots driving around with a foot of snow on their cars and a tiny portion of the windshield exposed – usually just the driver’s side. As they drive, the snow flies away. I know everyone is supposed to clean their windshield, but what about clearing snow from the roof and hood? Is there a law that prohibits driving around with a ski slope on the roof of your car? – Clem, Vernon, B.C

Brushing the car is not something you should brush off, police said.

“Each driver is responsible for clearing snow from all windows, mirrors, hood, roof and trunk,” said RCMP Corporal Michael McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the BC Highway Patrol, in an email. “Even if it’s on the hood or roof, it can slide or blow onto a window at any time, obscuring your visibility.”

In British Columbia, the law states that you cannot drive a vehicle if “the driver’s view to the front or sides of the vehicle is obstructed.” If you do this, you risk a $109 fine and three penalty points.

So if you get to your car the morning after a snowstorm and barely brush away just enough snow — or use your credit card to scrape off just enough frost — to somehow see the road, cops will notice, McLaughlin said.

“Every winter we see people who choose to dig a small circle into the pile of snow on the windshield of their vehicle and then think they are OK to drive,” McLaughlin said. “They are not. In policing terms, we call this a “heat score,” which means a surefire way to attract unwanted attention from police, “and it’s an obvious and easy way to get stopped and fined.”

You may also be charged if your license plate is obscured by snow. That will land you a $230 fine in BC

Don’t forget the roof or hood either. This is to protect yourself and others.

If snow blows from the roof or hood of your car, you could be charged with driving with an unsecured load and face a $173 fine, McLaughlin said.

According to the law, “nothing may leak, spill, blow away, fall, fall through, or otherwise come loose from the vehicle.”

And if enough snow blows away from your car to cause another car to crash – or if you caused an accident because you couldn’t see through the windshield – you could also be charged with careless driving, McLaughlin said. That warrants a $196 fine and six penalty points.

“My advice to drivers is to get a $5 snow brush and a pair of gloves,” McLaughlin said. “Be safe and avoid the fine.”

But what if you drive off in a clean car and then it starts snowing?

“If snow accumulates while driving, that would be a legitimate excuse for there being snow on your vehicle,” McLaughlin said. “In addition, it is very unlikely that snow will accumulate in a moving vehicle.”

“A danger to yourself and others”

Laws vary by province. While all provinces require drivers to be able to see the road, only some prohibit flying snow or ice from non-commercial vehicles.

In Alberta, for example, “there are no laws relating to snow-covered (flying) passenger vehicles,” said Corporal Troy Savinkoff, an Alberta RCMP spokesman, in a statement emailed.

Quebec law, meanwhile, specifically prohibits driving in “snow, ice or other objects that could become detached from the vehicle.” According to Sûreté du Québec, Quebec’s provincial police force, the fine is at least $100 and applies to all vehicles.

Although the Ontario law banning unsecured loads doesn’t mention snow, it is included in it, said Sean Shapiro, a safety consultant and retired Toronto traffic police officer.

“It depends on the officer you’re dealing with because some don’t charge for an unsafe load – but I certainly did,” Shapiro said, adding that it was a 130 fine US dollars for non-commercial vehicles. “You don’t have to be responsible for loading the car initially… but if you don’t clear it, you are posing a danger to yourself and other drivers.”

Even if the snow on your roof doesn’t fly away and hit another car, it could slide onto your windshield and block your view, Shapiro said.

“Once the vehicle warms up, a wonderful layer of water forms between the snow, which turns into a layer of ice,” Shapiro said. “Then when you brake, the entire load of snow and ice on your vehicle can slide forward onto the windshield, leaving you blind.”

Bad habits

Many drivers need to brush up on all the rules surrounding winter driving, Shapiro said.

For example, if the roads are snowy, icy, or visibility is limited, you may receive a speeding ticket even if you exceed the posted speed limit.

“Here’s the thing: Speed ​​limits are there for ideal driving conditions,” Shapiro said. “People often think, ‘The speed limit is 60 km/h, so I can go 60 km/h,’ and then they crash into a tree.”

Instead, you have to adapt to the road conditions, he said.

That also means leaving enough space between your vehicle and the car in front of you so you don’t hit it if it brakes suddenly, Shapiro said.

Other bad habits, including distracted driving, are even more dangerous in the winter because you and the cars around you have less control and braking ability.

“The stopping distance increases, so you need more space to slow down and stop,” Shapiro said. “Everything you know about your vehicle (under ideal driving conditions) is lost.”

Do you have a question about driving? Send it to [email protected] and put “driving problems” in your subject line. Emails without the correct subject line may not be responded to. Canada is a big country. So let us know where you are so we can find the answer for your city and province.