It’s a familiar scene across the country on cold winter days. You leave the house, it’s freezing outside, and you just want to jump in your car and get going, but the windows are covered in ice.
What do you do? Clear a little peephole and get going, or brave the cold and fully clear your windscreen?
Well, 45% of people admit to driving without full visibility in icy conditions, according to research by Green Flag. But, not only could that be dangerous, it could get you in trouble.
Stay on the right side of the law
Driving without a clear view of the road could land you a £1,000 fine and three penalty points on your licence. So, it’s worth taking that extra bit of time to clear your windscreen and keep yourself and other road users safe.
Almost 10% of people have been involved in an accident because they hadn’t de-iced properly, and that rises to 17% if you include near misses.
Our research uncovered a range of excuses for not de-icing properly, including not having enough time, thinking it’s fine if you can’t see most of the road, and poor visibility not being an issue at all.
Stay safe in cold weather
Taking a few extra minutes to make sure you can see the road properly will help keep the roads safe for everyone (even if it means getting up a bit earlier).
Here are our top tips for getting your car ready to go quickly in freezing weather.
- Get a de-icing spray – a quick blast will have your windows clear in no time.
- Turn your car engine and the heater up to full blast – this will help the ice melt faster and make scraping it off easier. Remember not to leave your car unattended with the keys in and the engine running.
- Pour warm water over your windscreen to melt the ice – last night’s hot water bottle should do the trick. Never use boiling water though, it could crack the windscreen.
- If you can’t be bothered with any of that, invest in a windscreen cover, whip it off in the morning, and you’re ready to go.
- When you’re on the road, make sure you have the heating on and pointing at the windscreen to stop it steaming up and making it difficult to see.
Always make sure you have a clear view of the road before you set off and drive according to the weather conditions.