As the temperature drops and we enter the winter months, any car owner will be well aware of the annoyance of coming outside to a frozen windscreen.
The thought of having to de-ice your car is always worse than actually having to spend time laboriously scraping away at the ice in the freezing cold, however, it is vital that we de-ice our cars, and do it properly.
Lazy attempts to de-ice your car could leave you with a number of problems, from points on your licence to a potential accident on the road. Here are some important tips on what to do and what not to do when it comes to this important task.
Clear the full windscreen
If you fail to clear your full windscreen of snow/ice you will end up with a number of problems. Without a clear windscreen, your vision is restricted and could increase the chances of you causing an accident, endangering you and other road users.
By law, you are required to have a full view of the road and traffic ahead in your car, if you are caught by the police you could end up with three points on your license and a £60 fine if you fail to clear your windscreen.
Protect your windscreen at night
It may seem like hard work on a cold, dark night, but placing a screen protector on your windscreen at night could save more time in the morning, rather than waking up to snow and ice on your car.
Use an ice scraper
Alternatively, you could use the less popular ice scraper (a proper ice scraper, not your bank card), this will help speed up the de-ice process if you give yourself some time before you set off – it is important to not apply too much pressure, as many scrapers are susceptible to breaking, which could cause further inconvenience to the morning.
De-icing spray
If you would rather avoid using a scraper, you can also use de-icer spray, which is an easy way of getting the job done before you head off on the roads.
Don’t use boiling water
It may seem like a simple way to de-ice your car, but melting ice with the usage of hot water can be extremely damaging to your windshield. When boiling water comes into contact with the freezing cold windows on your car, it could lead to your glass weakening, potentially leading to chips/cracking.
Don’t use your windscreen wipers on ice
If you use your windscreen wipers before all the ice has melted, you could risk damaging the wiper motors. A top tip would be to lift your wipers beforehand, just to make sure they aren’t frozen to the windscreen, then give it a few minutes until there’s just water left on your windscreen. Cars that have “rain sense” technology should also ensure their wipers are set to manual to avoid the car activating the wipers in the event they’re frozen to the windshield.
Do not drive away before your car has defrosted completely
Winter driving can be extremely dangerous if you don’t take the right precautions, so don’t let low visibility add to the risk. Whether you choose to de-ice or not, protect yourself and other road users by ensuring every window is clear of ice and condensation.