Northamptonshire motorists warned they could be slapped with a £50 fine for not de-icing their cars properly

Police have released a series of photos of 'how not to drive' this winter after motorists were caught in the county with icy windscreens.
Police warn you could cause an accidentPolice warn you could cause an accident
Police warn you could cause an accident

Drivers were caught out by officers in the force's team of mobile enforcement vehicles which operate across Northamptonshire seven days a week.

Safer Roads Operations Manager, Matt O’Connell, said: “As well as being detected for driving offences, by not clearing your windscreen properly, you risk putting yourself and others in serious danger.

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“I know we’re all in a rush in the mornings and want to spend as much time in bed as possible before getting ready and on our way to work, but it’s so important to give yourself an extra ten minutes when the weather turns to make sure your car is fit for the road.

You could get a 50 for not de-icing your windscreenYou could get a 50 for not de-icing your windscreen
You could get a 50 for not de-icing your windscreen

“Not only could you be fined £50 for driving offences, you could end up seriously injuring someone you’re unable to see because your line of sight is blocked.

“And if that’s not enough of an incentive, remember that if you get into a crash because you didn't properly clean your windows, your insurance company might find you at fault for neglecting to properly prepare your vehicle for the road.”

> If you have de-icer available, spray it onto the windows and windscreens of your car

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> When scraping, use firm, broad strokes across all the glass. Remove all the scraped ice and snow, and ensure that the windscreen wipers are not frozen

The mobile enforcement team operate seven days a week across the countyThe mobile enforcement team operate seven days a week across the county
The mobile enforcement team operate seven days a week across the county

> You should never use boiling water to melt the ice on a car. While windscreens are certainly more resilient than they used to be, pouring hot liquid onto frozen glass is unlikely to have a positive effect

> Don’t turn the car on and go back in the house - leaving a car with the key in the ignition and the engine running makes it very tempting to thieves

> De-mist and clear all mirrors

> Clean all lights

> Make sure number plates are visible

> Remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other drivers