Households across the UK are being warned to brace for snow and ice as an Arctic airmass continues to cover the country.
Multiple severe weather warnings are in force on Tuesday, with the whole of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England under yellow alerts for snow and ice today, while amber warnings for snow cover central Scotland. Further Met Office warnings also cover the east of England and west of Wales, as well as Devon and Cornwall, while amber cold health alerts for all regions of England are in place until Friday, January 9. The Met Office has warned households in the affected areas to expect cold conditions, with snow, sleet and rain showers likely, along with widespread frost and ice.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “The UK will continue to experience a range of winter weather hazards through this week, with low temperatures as well as snow showers and the risk of ice for many. A number of severe weather warnings have been issued and these are likely to be updated through the week so do keep up to date with the forecast.”
With possible snow showers forecast this week, households heading out to clear the white stuff off their driverways are being warned that they must do this properly, or they could be at risk of being sued.
Ironically, clearing snow from your driveway poorly can put you at more legal risk than not clearing it at all, according to a top solicitor.
While there is no law stopping you from clearing snow from your driveway, you must make sure you don’t make the pathway more dangerous than it was before.
The Department of Transport advice says: “You can clear snow and ice from pavements yourself. It’s unlikely that you’ll be sued or held responsible if someone is injured on a path or pavement if you’ve cleared it carefully.”
Despite this, solicitors have warned that although the chances of being sued are slim, if you don’t clear your driveway well and someone is injured then you could potentially be liable.
Hugh Rowland of Gotelee Solicitors LLP spoke about the issue during a BBC Radio interview and urged people to make sure they clear their driveways well to avoid any legal risks.
He said: “People are not under a duty to clear public paths outside their home or shop, and the truth is that if they do chose to clear a public path, and they don’t do it well, and someone hurts themselves, then they could potentially be liable if the injured person chooses to sue them.
“When it comes to private land that you occupy, you are under a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that your visitors are safe. So do you clear the snow or do you leave it for fear that you might make a worse icy hazard?
“If you do clear it, then you have got to make sure that you do it well and that you maintain it. Because, if you make it more dangerous than it was before then you will be creating a hazard and you may be liable if someone hurts themselves as a result.
“Overall, people should not be discouraged from clearing snow and assisting others. However, they should ensure they do it correctly to avoid increasing the risk of injury to others and liability for themselves.”
When clearing snow and ice from your driveway, it is advised that you do this early in the day as it will be easier to move snow that is fresh and loose.
Don’t use water to clear it as this may refreeze and turn to black ice which could be very hazardous and likely to cause someone to fall.
You should use salt to clear it instead as this will help melt the snow and ice and stop it from refreezing overnight. If you don’t have enough salt you can use ash and sand instead as this will provide a good grip underfoot.
Make sure to be extra careful when clearing steps and steep pathways, and use more salt on these areas to prevent snow and ice from refreezing and causing a dangerous slip hazard.
Solicitors at Hamilton Douglas Legal said that partial or poorly timed snow clearance can sometimes make conditions worse and advised household to treat driveways with grit or salt after snow has been cleared.
A spokesperson explained: “If snow is cleared but not treated with grit or salt, it can refreeze into smooth ice. In those cases, the risk may actually be higher than if the snow had been left compacted. Best practice includes:
- Clearing snow early before it compresses
- Applying grit or salt after shovelling
- Avoiding moving snow to areas where meltwater can refreeze across walkways.”