Follow these 5 steps for clearing the snow off your car, and you’ll quickly be on your way.

1. Clean off the roof — all of it. This is critical, since the powder snow on the roof of your vehicle could blow into the path of other motorists. Chunks of snow from the roof could also slide down your own windshield and blind you.

2. Scrape the ice off the windows. Using an ice scraper, remove as much ice as possible from all of your windows. Never use hot water, or your windows could shatter. Next, clean off your windshield wipers, as they won’t clean the windshield effectively if they’re ice covered. If you know that it’s going to snow lift your wipers away from the windshield. Note that turning them on while they’re frozen to your windshield could damage their motor.

3. Clear the snow from the hood and the rear of the vehicle. In addition to compromising your visibility, wet snow is very heavy and can increase your fuel consumption.

4. Remove the snow and ice from the headlights. Not only do you have to be able to see, you also have to be seen. Don’t forget the mirrors. After starting your vehicle, wait for the fog to clear from the interior of the windows to ensure good visibility all around.

5. Clear the wheel wells. This step is often overlooked but is nevertheless entirely necessary. Excess snow and ice trapped in the wheel wells can lead to friction, which quickly wears out the tires. Furthermore, friction combined with the cold of winter could eventually cause the tire to burst, which is not something you want to happen when you’re on the road.

As we all know, Canadian winters aren’t always pleasant, especially for motorists. Using the proper technique to clear snow from your car will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you’re not endangering your life or anybody else’s when you’re on the road.