UK households hit with legal warning for clearing snow off driveway

Households across the UK have woken up to a and even more is on the way, with in place up until Wednesday.

The has put three in place in the North, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and advised that power cuts could occur, rural areas may be cut off, and travel disruption is likely.

The yellow warning for England is in place until 11am, while the warning for Scotland will remain until 10am on Wednesday.

The national forecaster said temperatures will turn colder for all areas of the UK this week, with daytime temperatures dropping to the low single figures for most, although sub-zero temperatures are likely.

It adds that further snowfall is expected across the week, with potentially up to 20cm of snow over higher ground and between five and 10cm at lower levels, most likely affecting parts of Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

With more snow on the way, UK households that clear snow off their driveways have been warned that they must do it properly to avoid the 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.

There is no law stopping you from clearing snow from your driveway, but 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.