THERE’S little worse than waking up for work or the school run in the morning – only to discover you’ll have to spend precious minutes scraping ice off the windscreen of your car.
But pressing just one button could completely clear frost in seconds, according to a viral TikTok video.
Experts at Driving Test Success have revealed motorists can get rid of ice from inside the car while it’s warming up.
All they have to do is activate the car’s windscreen fan, which will heat up the glass from inside.
They explain: “Frozen windscreen? Put the temperature on high.
“Put the front windscreen fan on max. The ice will start to melt from the heat.
“Wipe away excess water and return the fan to normal.”
The advice, reported by The Mirror, may seem painfully obvious to seasoned drivers.
However, those who are new to driving were astonished at its success.
One said: “Wow, magic! The ice is gone.”
Others were less impressed, with one writing: “Wastes more fuel. Just get [out] and scrape it off you lazy so-and-so.”
Another video by Clear View Driving says motorists should use their demister before taking to the road.
“Don’t use your windscreen wipers or washers as that won’t help,” they said.
“Turn on your front and rear demister. The rear demister also heats up your side mirrors in most new cars.
“But if the mirrors are not clear, make sure to clear them before you start driving.
“Then, once it’s done you can use your wipers.”
The AA encourages drivers to “turn on the warm air blower” and heated mirrors before driving.
“Turn on the air-con. It’s not just for summer – it’ll remove moisture from the air to stop the car from misting up,” they said.
“Don’t use your hands to wipe misted-up windows – you’ll leave greasy smears and a diamond ring could scratch the glass.”
Those who don’t clear their windscreens properly can be hit with three points on their licence and an £100 fine.
If it affects your driving, a dirty windscreen could even lead to a £1,000 fine for losing control of the vehicle.
And if you cause an accident, that could lead to a criminal prosecution or a fine of £10,000 for driving dangerously.
Tony Rich of The AA said: “Hacks like pouring a kettle-full of water over the glass or dragging a sandwich bag of hot water across the glass are unnecessary and could cause your screen to crack.
“A scraper is all you need to let you see the road ahead.”
Meanwhile, a third of drivers don’t feel prepared for driving during the winter months, a poll revealed.
A survey of 6,000 European drivers found 27 per cent don’t understand or use their cars’ additional safety features when the weather turns sour.
As the clocks fall back, signalling shorter days and the inevitable deterioration in weather, drivers will find themselves spending more time behind the wheel in the dark.
And this presents a worrying challenge for the 55 per cent of drivers who are nervous about driving in winter – and the 45 per cent who wish they had been taught how to drive properly in adverse weather.
