Did you know that in some states, it’s actually against the law the drive with snow and ice on your car? Even in states that do not have an this, police still have the authority to issue citations for offenses such as driving with an unsecured load. Driving safely during winter is challenging enough as it is. Why make your time behind the wheel more risky than it needs to be? Here’s what you should know to deal with snow and ice on your car.
How to Effectively Remove Snow and Ice from Your Car
When you are brushing off your car, it’s important to make sure you clear as much snow and ice as possible.
Roof: As you’re driving, especially at higher speeds, snow and ice can easily fly off of your roof, potentially hitting other cars. This can cause accidents and in some cases fatalities.
Windshield & rear window: Clearing your windshield and your rear window increases your visibility. Break up snow and ice around your windshield wipers and washer fluid nozzles as well.
Side windows and side view mirrors: Removing snow and ice from these areas is just as important as doing so from your windshield because you are better able to see the traffic on each side of your car. In the event you need to maneuver away from someone, you will be able to do so because you will see it coming. Always pay attention to your surroundings.
Headlights and taillights: This is more about helping other drivers see you, which is equally as important when you’re out on the road, especially in bad weather conditions.
License plate: Front license plates may be required in the state in which you live. Having your license plate obstructed in any way may result in a citation from a police officer.
Hacks for Cleaning Off Ice and Snow from Your Car
Using your defrosters: Turning on your front and rear defrosters as soon as you start cleaning off your car will greatly assist in the process and save you a lot of time, especially with ice. The best and safest way to clean off your car is to do so before you start driving. This means you should afford yourself some extra time before you start your commute. When you turn on your defrosters, it’s very possible that your windshield will fog up, compromising your vision and making it more difficult to drive safely.
Give yourself time: As stated earlier, to be safe, you should give yourself some extra time to thoroughly clean off your car before you start driving. Especially if hard ice is stuck to your car, you’ll most likely need to exert more physical energy to get the job done. More time allow you the opportunity to breaks if you get tired.
Watch your wipers: Never pull on frozen windshield wipers. Doing so could ruin them. Instead, use an ice scraper to carefully chip away at the ice. Make sure your car’s defroster is turned on while you’re doing this to assist in the process.
Avoid hot water: Pouring hot water directly on ice-cold glass can be risky and dangerous. You’re leaving your windshield at risk of cracking.
User proper snow brush: Using the wrong kind of brush for this task could leave scratch marks behind.
Start from the top: Don’t neglect the snow and ice on top of your car. Handle that first. The snow and ice at the top of your car can and will slide down to the bottom, thus doubling your work.
Consider using a deicing spray: Spraying a thin sheet of deicer over all windows of your car can help save yourself some time. Commercial-grade sprays will help make the job faster and easier.
At the end of the day, the best way to protect yourself and you family is by having sufficient auto insurance coverage. And while states around the country have different requirements with regard to limits of liability, we recommend having at least $250,000 coverage per person for bodily injuries if involved in an at-fault auto accident, $500,000 per accident, and $100,000 coverage per incident.