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Clear the snow off the whole car before you drive

Snow left on the roof can block your view or fall on the car behind. Clear the roof, lights, plates, mirrors and windows before you drive.

From people’s advice and experience shared online about clearing snow off a car and driving in it. The law, heart-safety, carbon monoxide and stopping lines were checked in October 2026 against GOV.UK, two US state statutes, the American Heart Association, the NHS, the CDC, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and two US state agencies.

Read this first

Clearing snow is hard exercise in the cold. A 2024 American Heart Association news release quotes a heart specialist who says that if you have known or suspected heart disease, or risk factors for it, you should get someone else to clear the snow. The release names these risk factors: a sedentary lifestyle or obesity, being a current or former smoker, diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and having had a heart attack or stroke. It also quotes the specialist saying that people with these risk factors, and people who have had bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty (a procedure to open a blocked heart artery), “simply should not be shoveling snow in any conditions.” If you do it yourself, it says to start gradually, pace yourself and push or sweep the snow rather than lift and throw it. It says to stop at once if you get chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness or heart palpitations or an irregular heart rhythm, and to call 911 if the symptoms do not ease shortly after you stop. It says that if you see someone collapse while shoveling snow, you should call for help and start Hands-Only CPR if they are unresponsive with no pulse. In the UK, the NHS says to call 999 if you have chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing, chest pain that spreads to your arms, neck or jaw, severe difficulty breathing (gasping, choking or not able to get words out), or pale, blue or grey lips or skin (on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands), or if someone has passed out and is not responding normally. It says not to drive yourself to A&E, that the person on the 999 call will tell you what to do, and that if someone stops responding to you and stops breathing, you should start CPR. It says to call NHS 111 if you are suddenly more short of breath than usual, have chest pain and feel sick or are being sick, or have chest pain and feel as if your heart is racing, going too slowly, skipping a beat or fluttering. Elsewhere, use your local emergency number. Do not warm the car up in a garage that is attached to a house or in any garage with the door shut. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says never to run a car or truck inside a garage that is attached to a house, even with the garage door open, and to open the door of a detached garage when you run an engine inside it. After snow, it says to check that the car’s tailpipe is clear of snow before you get in the driver’s seat, because if it is blocked, carbon monoxide can build up quickly inside the car, poisoning anyone inside. The NHS says that carbon monoxide, the gas in engine exhaust, has no colour and no smell, so you cannot tell it is there. If you get a headache, feel dizzy, weak, sick or confused near a running engine, get outside into fresh air at once. In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says to get outside to fresh air immediately, call the fire department from a neighbor’s home, and contact a doctor right away. If someone has collapsed or is struggling to breathe, call 911. In the UK, the NHS says to go outside, to get medical advice as soon as possible, and to call NHS 111 if you think you might have symptoms. It says to call 999 or go to A&E if you think you or someone else has been exposed to carbon monoxide and are finding it hard to breathe, have suddenly become confused, have lost consciousness, are feeling weak, or have chest or muscle pain. It says: “Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.”

You are late, the windscreen (windshield in the US) is white, and a small clear patch looks like enough. For your own view, and for the people around you, it is not.

Before you drive, clear the snow and ice off the whole car, not only a patch of windscreen: the roof, bonnet (hood in the US), lights, number plate (license plate in the US), mirrors and every window.

This page is for anyone who drives in snow. If you are stuck in snow right now, read the page called Dig out the tailpipe before you run the heater first. If you have heart trouble, read the safety note at the top of this page before you start.

Why the whole car

Some people say that snow left on a car blocks your own view and is a hazard to other drivers, and the places they name are the roof, the bonnet and the lights, as well as the plate. One person warns that ice on a large truck’s trailer can come loose as the weather warms, which is a hazard for anyone following.

In England, Scotland and Wales, the Highway Code says in rule 229, “Before you set off”:

“you MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows”
“you MUST ensure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible”
“make sure the mirrors are clear and the windows are demisted thoroughly”
“remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users”
“check your planned route is clear of delays and that no further snowfalls or severe weather are predicted.”

The Code says that rules worded MUST are legal requirements. Rule 229 does not name the roof, but one of its lines covers any snow that might fall off.

In the US, the rule depends on the state. Pennsylvania’s law, as read for this page in October 2026, says a driver must make reasonable efforts to remove accumulated ice or snow from the vehicle, including the hood, trunk and roof, within 24 hours after the snow or ice stops falling. It says a driver can be fined even if none falls off. It lists exceptions for some truck and bus drivers. Maine’s law says the operator of a vehicle with a registered weight under 10,000 pounds must take reasonable measures to prevent snow or ice on the vehicle from falling off while it is being operated on a public way, and it treats a violation that causes damage or injury as a traffic infraction. This page read only those two states. Other states have their own rules, or none.

This page cannot tell you what the law says where you drive, or what applies in your case. In the US, your state’s motor vehicle agency or the police non-emergency line can say. In the UK, the Highway Code is on GOV.UK, and Citizens Advice is a place to ask about a penalty (England 0800 144 8848, Wales 0800 702 2020, Scotland 0800 028 1456). In Northern Ireland, Advice NI is on 0800 915 4604.

How to clear it

One person says a brush or broom takes about a minute. One person says a leaf blower or a foam squeegee works too. One person says to brush snow off both the paint and the windscreen, and to scrape ice only off the glass.

A 2024 American Heart Association news release quotes a heart specialist who recommends pushing or sweeping snow rather than lifting and throwing it, because it takes a little less effort.

If a car stays out all night, some people say a garage removes the problem, because the snow never lands on the car. Not everyone has one, and one person says that in a city you take the parking you can get.

If you cannot reach the roof

If you cannot reach the roof safely, for example on a van or a large SUV, ask someone to help. This page does not cover how to reach a high roof.

Clearing snow is hard on the body

One person warns that clearing snow in the cold can bring on heart attacks and back injuries, from heavy wet snow and overexertion. The American Heart Association release goes further. It quotes the specialist saying the strain of heavy snow shoveling can be as demanding on the heart as a treadmill stress test, and that the first step for anyone with known or suspected heart disease or risk factors is to get someone else to clear the snow. The safety note at the top of this page has the rest of its advice and the emergency numbers. This page cannot tell you whether you are at risk; your doctor can.

If you start the engine to clear the windows

This page does not ask you to run the engine. If you do, three things apply. First, the CDC says that when it snows, you should check that the car’s tailpipe (exhaust pipe) is clear of snow before you get in the driver’s seat: if it is blocked, carbon monoxide can build up quickly inside the car, poisoning anyone inside. Check it before anyone sits in the car with the engine running. Second, the CDC says never to run a car inside a garage that is attached to a house, even with the garage door open. Do not warm it up in any garage with the door shut. The safety note at the top says why.

Third, in England, Scotland and Wales, rule 123 of the Highway Code says: “You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”

Then drive for the road

Some people say to accelerate slowly, brake gently, and leave a bigger gap in snow. The Highway Code says the same in rules 230 and 231: “keep well back from the road user in front as stopping distances can be ten times greater than on dry roads”, and, on icy roads, “drive at a slow speed in as high a gear as possible; accelerate and brake very gently”.

Rule 228 of the Highway Code says to check the forecast in winter and not to drive in icy or snowy weather unless your journey is essential. If it is, it says to take an emergency kit of de-icer and ice scraper, torch, warm clothing and boots, first aid kit, jump leads and a shovel, together with a warm drink and emergency food, in case you get stuck or break down. Some people say to keep blankets and water in the car for the same reason, especially in the country. The page about the tailpipe lists the US National Weather Service’s car kit.

Who this page is not for

If you are already stuck, this page cannot help; the page called Spinning digs the hole deeper is for getting a car out. It does not cover digging a car out of a parking space, and one person says that in some cities that takes longer than clearing the car. If you get chest pain, dizziness or trouble breathing while you clear the car, stop and use the numbers in the safety note. If you drive a large vehicle with a roof you cannot reach, you need someone to help or a safer way than this page can give.

Try this today

about 10 minutes

Before you drive, walk once around the car and clear the roof, the bonnet (hood in the US), the lights, the number plate (license plate in the US), the mirrors and every window. Push the snow off with a brush or broom in sweeps; do not lift and throw it. Before you get in, check that the tailpipe is clear of snow: the CDC says a blocked tailpipe can let carbon monoxide build up quickly inside the car. If you have known or suspected heart disease, or risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, a heart specialist quoted by the American Heart Association says to get someone else to do it. If you get chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, or a racing or uneven heartbeat, stop at once. The American Heart Association says to call 911 if it does not ease shortly after you stop. In the UK, the NHS says to call 999 for chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing or that spreads to your arms, neck or jaw, or for severe trouble breathing; nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack lists more signs. Do not warm the car up in a garage that is attached to a house, even with the door open, or in any garage with the door shut. If you cannot clear the car safely, ask someone to help rather than drive with snow on it. In an emergency, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK.

Know someone carrying this? Send it to them.

Common questions

I have all-wheel drive. Does that help me stop on snow?

Some people say all-wheel drive helps you get moving but does not help you stop. Two US state agencies agree that it does not help you stop. The Washington State Department of Transportation says four-wheel and all-wheel vehicles do not stop or steer better on ice. The Michigan State Police say front-wheel, all-wheel and four-wheel-drive vehicles are just as difficult to stop and turn on wintry roads as rear-wheel-drive ones, and that their drivers may not notice a dangerous road until they try to stop or turn.

Same situation, another step

The exit number is the mile markerThe car

Who can help

Poison Help Line
If you think you or someone near you swallowed, breathed in or touched something harmful, you can call and talk with a poison expert about what to do next. Your call goes to the poison center that serves your area.
Call 1-800-222-1222
Nationwide (U.S.) · 24/7

In the UK

a quiet placeSit for a minuteA meadow, a river, and nothing you have to do. The field is always open — and the wind on this page already knows the way.

Full tip: https://findangel.org/tips/clear-the-snow-off-the-whole-car-before-you-drive/ · FindAngel.org — free, always.