Winter. Clearing snow and ice off of steps, walkways AND cars.

December 27, 2018, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

It’s a trial of winter. It’s going to snow overnight.

We get up in the morning and look outside. It’s dark and it snowed or freezing rained or both. The driveway is a mess and needs to be shovelled. We come out to our cars covered in snow, frost, or a sheet of ice. There isn’t a quick solution. You have to get your car cleared off in order to drive safely and to protect surrounding vehicles and motorists. You have to clear your driveway, sidewalk, and stairs of ice and snow. Let’s hope you got up 30 minutes early.

Step one get the boots and snow shovel. Step two start your car and get turn on your defrosters to get things melting on the windows. Step three start clearing off the car (roof, hood, trunk and lights). Don’t use hot water to melt out the car. It may crack your windshield or cause other damage to rubber and trim around the windows and cause your locks and electric windows to freeze up from the inside. Step four -  attack the driveway and stairs and sidewalk.

Here are some tips for de-icing your outdoor steps and sidewalk and driveway.

1. If there is ice you’ll have to start by chipping it away. It’ll be thinnest on the outside edges, start there.
2. Shovel it bare and apply sand for traction.
3. If you are using salt (it’s warmer than -6’C outside) then use it appropriately. You can purchase rock salt at the store or get salt substitutes which may be less environmentally harmful and less bad for your pet’s feet.
4. Remember when shovelling lift with your legs, not your back… or rev up the snowblower, or call a plow service in if things are bad. Get an ergonomic shovel – they make a big difference.

Failing to clear your car off is an offense, and flying ice and snow can cause visibility problems for surrounding drivers and can smash other windshields. Snow and frost on your windows will also impede your view of the road making driving unsafe. Please. Budget an extra few minutes in the morning in the winter. If you don’t need it to clear your car and driveway then you can use it to enjoy an extra cup of warm coffee.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.