The Christmas holidays are officially over, decorations have been taken down and many of us return back to work and early starts whilst it is blisteringly cold outside. The arrival of January, February and March mean de-icing your car windscreen becomes part of your early morning routine. We hear the sigh throughout the country as no-one really likes getting up 10 minutes earlier. In this post we lay out the reasons why you should de-ice your car’s windscreen and give you the best advice on how to do it.
In the Highway Code it advises motorists to check local weather forecasts for warnings of snow and/or ice and NOT to drive in these conditions unless this is necessary. Before setting off on your journey you are required by law to clear snow and ice from all of your windows – these must be completely clear so you have good visibility and are not endangering other road users. You are also obliged to clear mirrors, number plates, indicators and reflectors of snow and ice.
What’s the best way to de-ice your windscreens?
You should use an ice scraper (gloves to keep your hands warm are also ideal!) and/or some de-icer liquid. When using de-icing liquid start spraying at the top of the window, as this will allow the spray to go down.
When scraping, start from left to right making firm strokes across the whole window screen – the police won’t be impressed if you just scrape the drivers-side part of the window screen.
What not to do?
Never use boiling or hot water to melt the ice on your car window windscreen as this is likely to cause permanent damage.
Use bankcards or loyalty cards as it will take you a very long time to do a whole windscreen and you don’t want to risk missing out on those loyalty points the next time you try to redeem them!
Whacking up the heating and waiting for it to defrost is not very good for the environment or your wallet.
Turning on your car engine and going back inside to defrost your windows is a big No No– when switching on your engine you need be in your vehicle as you need to be in control of it. Also leaving your keys in the ignition whilst you make yourself a brew will make your car an attractive object for car theft.
Be sure to clear your car windscreen this winter and don’t endanger yourself or others. Read our other winter travelling tips here.
