These are some of the key things to avoid doing when driving in snow and ice

Large parts of the UK are braced for a cold snap, with the Met Office saying that temperatures could fall as low as minus 8C on Thursday in rural Scotland and northern England.

Driving in cold conditions presents a number of hazards, too, and there are many things you should avoid if you’re planning on getting behind the wheel on snowy, wintery roads.

One of the best ways to keep yourself out of harm’s way during tricky driving conditions is by staying at home. Of course, if you really need to be somewhere then this isn’t an option, but if you’re unsure of your abilities or feel stressed by the prospect of driving in snowy weather then it’s always better to hang up the keys and stay put.

If you do need to travel, then consider if it’s essential and worth the potential risk.

If you’re in a hurry to get going then it can be tempting to clear a portion of your iced-over windscreen and use that as a way to see out. However, this is extremely dangerous – you should wait for your windscreen to defrost entirely before you set off. Make sure that your side windows, rear screen and wing mirrors are all cleared before you leave, too.

Plus, if you don’t clear your windscreen properly you could be fined for dangerous driving – risking a penalty of up to £2,500 in the most severe instances.

If the area you live in has experienced a big delivery of snow, then it’s likely that a lot of it will have collected on the roof of your car too. While you might think that this would just breeze off in a flurry as you drive away, sub-zero temperatures can often see snow compact and freeze solid on a car’s roof, creating a potential hazard.

A big slab of frozen snow could easily crack the windscreen of a car travelling behind you. Though there’s no specific law covering the issue, you could be fined for offences such as ‘driving without due consideration’ if it was found that the snow on your roof caused an accident.

When you get into your car on a frosty morning it might seem like a good idea to activate its windscreen wipers as a way to clear away the ice. However, during sub-zero temperatures, the wipers can quickly freeze solid, so switching them on will simply burn out the motors and could cause some expensive damage.

Instead, gently lift the wiper arms away from the screen to free them from the ice, or spray a small amount of de-icer onto them as a way of making sure they’re frost-free.

Plus, if it’s still below 0C outside then this boiling water could easily freeze and cause your car’s wipers to seize up. Instead, use a dedicated de-icer and a scraper to clear your car’s screen.

When it’s cold outside, the last thing you want to be doing is standing in the freezing air waiting for your car to defrost. But even though it might be an appealing option to leave your car running to defrost while you wait inside, it’s something which is best avoided. A car running outside a home is an open invitation for thieves, so you’re better off staying with your vehicle at all times instead.

Plus, leaving an engine idling outside isn’t any good for the environment so de-ice your car by hand instead.