The frost descends upon us every winter, and we have to start driving in more adverse weather. During the winter, you will need to de-ice your car in the morning, and if the weather is terrible, it could be at any time of the day.
Before you set off on your journey, you need to ensure that you can see out of your windscreen. Not only is this a massive danger to road users, but it is also illegal, as you should always be able to see out of your windscreen when you are operating your vehicle. You need to ensure that all ice and snow has been removed from your windscreen, rear windscreen and windows, and you can see more about this via the Highway Code.
Here are the best things to do when it comes to de-icing your car on a cold morning
- Use a de-icing spray to help clear your windscreen. These will help you by clearing up the majority of the ice because it lowers the freezing point of water to stop the ice from forming on the windscreen.
- Use a scraper to clear up the ice. A scraper is a classic invention that has been clearing ice for years. Not only are they designed to clear up ice with ease, but they will also reduce the risk of you scratching or cracking your windscreen than if you use boiling water or a bank card.
- Park in a shaded area. While this may seem odd, you will have less ice to clear in the mornings if you park in a shaded area. This doesn't mean you won't have any ice on your car, but it does mean that you will be able to clear your car much easier.
These are the best options for you as it allows you to drive safely whilst not compromising your car. You can use these simple techniques to recommend them to all drivers.
What should you avoid when de-icing your car
- Use boiling water to clear your windscreen. Whilst it makes sense that heat clears ice and boiling water may be an obvious option, you should never use boiling water. Whilst it may work most of the time, you should not do this on a cold morning. If you pour boiling water on your windscreen, you increase the chances of it cracking, meaning you will now need to pay for a new windscreen.
- You should not clear your windscreen with an item that is not de-icing spray or a scraper. Whilst people have used bank cards, sharp objects and even blunt objects. Doing this will cause your windscreen to become scratched, and due to needing to be able to see at all times, you would then be breaking the law.
- Leave your engine running to de-ice your car whilst inside your house. Firstly, you should never leave your car turned on and unattended. This dramatically increases the risk of your car being stolen. You also should always be in constant control of your car when it is on; otherwise, it would be your fault if anything were to happen.
If you find yourself taking driving lessons with any of our grade-A driving instructors and have any questions on how best to approach de-icing a car, they can help. All of our instructors will also make sure that their cars are clean and ready to use at all times. This includes taking driving lessons in Bedford during the early hours of the morning or even an early driving test in Milton Keynes.