Simple parking trick that can stop your car windscreen freezing over – how to avoid a £1,000 fine

DRIVERS face a huge fine if they fail to control their vehicle in poor visibility – but there’s a simple way that could fix the issue.

Parking with your windscreen facing east could make a difference to the amount of frost which builds up each morning.

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With the direct line of the sun’s rise melting away the frost for you, fears of a clouded windscreen – and scary penalty fees – might be no worry.

But experts are not quite persuaded the direction of a parked car will help too many frost-covered cars – especially when the rear windscreen is likely to have stayed frozen.

The AA’s head of roads policy, Jack Couzens, said: “Many drivers will set off before the winter sun rises or even has a chance to burn off ice, meaning it makes no difference which way the car faces.

“Drivers can avoid the need to de-ice their car altogether by parking in their garage.

“However, if that is not an option, then by far the best way to fully clear your windscreen and windows of ice is to spend five minutes scraping them clean with a scraper.”

With high and rising fuel prices, blocked roads and a cold winter ahead, motorists are definitely under the cosh this festive season.

We’ve warned about the risk of scolding your hands and damaging your windscreen if you follow this risky TikTok tip.

Fines of up to £1,000 apply if you’re caught driving dangerously, even as a result of glaring sunlight obscuring your view.

And illegal tyres can lead to a whopping £10,000 penalty charge.

None of that will be helped by the coming “little Ice Age” set to send temperatures plummeting to negative double-digits next week.

Another top tip involves putting an old blanket or towel over the windscreen during the night, which leaves the glass itself protected from the worst of the cold and condensation.

But the most important advice for all motorists this festive season is to stay sober in the hours before driving.

In 2019, the latest year for which government stats are known, there were 7,860 casualties related to drink driving in Great Britain, according to Sunday Times Driving.

It’s impossible to know how much alcohol you can handle before getting behind the wheel – so it’s definitely better not to try.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk