Iced windshield, frozen locks and wipers: safe de-icing¶

On a freezing morning, the quickest fix is rarely the safest one. Boiling water cracks glass, a metal tool scratches it, and a half cleared windscreen (windshield) with a peephole to look through is both dangerous and illegal in many places. This guide shows how to clear ice and snow from glass, mirrors, lights, locks, and wipers without damage, what visibility you need before you drive, and what the law expects in several countries and states.

Good de-icing starts the night before and takes about ten minutes in the morning. If you plan for it, you can leave on time, stay warm, and avoid the injuries that come from slips and rushed driving. If you are already stuck in a storm, see pae ʻia ma ke kaʻa i ka ʻino hoʻoilo for staying safe.

E hana i kēia i kēia manawa¶

1. Start the engine and turn the heater and defroster on to a low or medium setting with the air pointed at the windscreen, then step out. Do this only in the open air, never in a closed garage, because exhaust contains carbon monoxide.
2. While the car warms, clear snow first, from the roof down. Use a long handled snow brush to push snow off the roof, bonnet (hood), boot (trunk), lights, mirrors, and number plates (license plates).
3. Scrape ice from the glass with a plastic ice scraper, working from the top of the windscreen downward. Use de-icer spray on thick ice, and let it work for a minute.
4. Clear every window fully, including the rear and side windows and the mirrors. Do not drive with a small hole to look through.
5. Free the wipers gently if they are stuck, and clear them from the glass before you turn them on. Lift them off the glass if they are frozen to it, and chip ice away from the blades with a gloved hand.
6. Check your lights, number plates, and sensors, then drive away gently once the glass is fully clear and the washer fluid is working. If someone slips, falls, or is hurt, call your local emergency number (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom). See helu pilikia.

Why ice forms on your car¶

Ice forms on glass in three main ways. Frost forms overnight when the glass cools below freezing and water vapor in the air turns to ice crystals, usually on clear, calm nights. Freezing rain and drizzle fall as liquid and freeze on contact, which makes a hard, clear, thick layer. Snow melts on a warm roof or glass, then refreezes into a layer of ice when the temperature falls.

Moisture inside the car also freezes on the inside of the windows. Wet coats, damp floor mats, and breath all add water vapor. A car left unused for days can have frost on the inside of the glass that is hard to scrape. See windshield fogged or iced on the inside for the interior side.

What makes it worse¶

• Parking outdoors under a clear sky, which loses heat faster than parking under cover.
• Wet snow that clings, then freezes hard overnight.
• A dirty windscreen, since dirt gives ice something to grip.
• Wiper blades left down on the glass, which freeze to the surface.
• Leaving the car damp inside from wet clothing and ventilation set to recirculate.

ʻAʻole e hana¶

Several popular tricks cause damage or injury. Avoid them.

• Do not use a metal scraper, a knife, a spatula, or a credit card on glass, since they can scratch it and break the card. Scratches also scatter light and cause glare at night.
• Do not use salt on glass or paint. It can scratch, damage seals, and cause rust.
• Do not use the wipers to push ice or heavy snow off, because they can tear the rubber and burn out the wiper motor. See broken windshield wiper linkage in torrential rain or blizzard.
• Do not pry frozen doors open with force, which can tear the rubber seals and bend the door.
• Do not leave the car running and unattended in a public place with the keys in it, where it can be stolen. A remote starter can help, if you have one, and the car is locked.
• Do not drive off while only part of the glass is clear. Snow can slide from the roof onto the windscreen or onto the car behind.
• Do not use a hairdryer or heat gun on glass or locks with an extension cord in the snow, where the electric shock risk is high.

Safe de-icing step by step¶

Clear the snow first¶

Snow comes off most easily before it melts and refreezes, so clear it first. Use a long handled snow brush and push, rather than sweep, to move snow away from the car. Start with the roof, since it is the part drivers skip and the part that causes the most trouble on the road. Then clear the bonnet, the boot lid, the windscreen, side windows, mirrors, headlights, tail lights, and the number plates.

Stand to one side and keep snow from falling inside the car or across the door seal. Brush the snow from the wiper arms, the cowl (the area below the windscreen), and the air intake vents, because blocked vents can stop the heater working.

Scrape the ice¶

Use a plastic scraper with a sharp, unchipped blade. Hold it at a shallow angle and push away from yourself in long strokes, starting at the top of the glass and working downward. Do not scrape back and forth with force, which can leave scratches. If you use a mitten or glove brush for light frost, wear gloves so you do not freeze your hands.

For thick ice, spray a commercial de-icer first. A basic home mix of two parts isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to one part water in a spray bottle also works and does not freeze. Keep it away from paint, rubber, and plastic trim, and keep it out of the reach of children and pets.

Mai hoʻohana i kēia hui ʻana i loko o ka hale kaʻa i pani ʻia, no ka mea, hiki ke puhi ʻia nā mahu. E kali i hoʻokahi minute a i ʻole, a laila e ʻoka.

Use the heater and defroster¶

Run the engine, set the heater to warm and the fan to medium, and direct air at the windscreen. Use the air conditioning button if your car has one, since it dries the air and helps clear the inside of the glass. Turn the heater up in stages, because a sudden blast of hot air on very cold glass can in rare cases crack a chip or an existing crack.

Choose the fresh air setting, not recirculate, to remove moisture. Switch on the heated rear window and heated mirrors, if fitted.

Let the engine warm for a few minutes, but do not idle for long. Modern engines warm faster when driven gently, and long idling wastes fuel. In many places, leaving an unattended running car is illegal. Check the local rules.

Clear inside moisture¶

Wipe the inside of the glass with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Use a commercial anti fog product if needed. Keep the interior dry by shaking off boots and coats before you get in, and by removing wet items overnight. A small tub of moisture absorbing crystals or a sock filled with cat litter on the dash helps dry the air.

Free frozen wipers¶

Wiper blades frozen to the glass can tear if you pull or switch them on. Clear the ice around them, run the defroster for a few minutes, and then lift them gently. If the blades are covered in ice, break it off with your fingers while wearing gloves, or tap it away.

Replace blades that leave streaks or smear. Consider winter blades with a rubber cover.

Prevention helps most. If a heavy frost or freezing rain is forecast, lift the wiper arms off the windscreen, or fold them forward, before you leave the car overnight. Place a towel, a sheet of cardboard, or a purpose made cover over the windscreen, secured with the doors or wipers. In the morning, you lift it off and the ice comes with it.

Ka wai holoi¶

E hoʻonui me ka wai holoi hoʻoilo i helu ʻia no kou wahi, i ka liʻiliʻi ma lalo o 20 degere Celsius (hōʻemi 4 degere Fahrenheit) a ʻoi aku paha ma kahi o ka hoʻoilo. Paʻa ka wai maʻemaʻe a hiki ke naha i ka waihona a me ka paila. Inā maloʻo ka wai i loko o nā laina, e paka ma kahi mehana, a pale i ka hana ʻana i ka pamu a maloʻo, a i ʻole hiki iā ʻoe ke puhi i ka fuse. E nana pahu kaʻa hoʻoilo a me ka nānā kaʻa ma mua o ka hoʻoilo.

flowchart TD
    A["Kaʻa hau i ke kakahiaka"] --> B["Start engine in open air and set defroster"]
    B --> C["Clear snow from roof, bonnet, lights and plates"]
    C --> D["Scrape ice with a plastic scraper or apply de-icer"]
    D --> E["E hoʻomaʻemaʻe piha i nā puka makani a me nā aniani"]
    E --> F{"Wipers frozen to glass?"}
    F -->|"ʻAe"| G["Let heat soften ice then lift blades gently"]
    F -->|"ʻAʻole"| H["Test washer fluid"]
    G --> H
    H --> I{"Full visibility on all sides?"}
    I -->|"ʻAʻole"| D
    I -->|"ʻAe"| J["Drive away gently and test brakes"]

Frozen locks and doors¶

Water gets into locks and door seals, then freezes. A lock may refuse the key, or the door may feel stuck as if glued. The right approach is gentle and does not use force.

Frozen locks¶

1. Use a commercial lock de-icer spray, which contains alcohol and lubricant. Keep a small can in your coat or bag, not in the car where you cannot reach it.
2. Warm the key briefly in your hand or with a lighter held away from the lock, and gently insert it, but do not force it. Take care with plastic key heads and electronic fobs, which can melt or fail.
3. Try a little hand sanitizer on the key, which contains alcohol and melts thin ice. Do not squirt it into a wet lock where it can refreeze as thick ice.
4. Gently tap the key, or wiggle it, to break the ice. Do not turn the key hard, because it can snap.
5. If your car has a remote or keyless entry, try the other door or the boot, and use the fob to unlock them.

Frozen doors and seals¶

Press on the door with the flat of your hand and push in rather than pull out. This can break the ice at the seal. Walk around and try another door.

A little firm pressure at the edges helps, but do not pull the handle hard. Spray de-icer along the seal and wait for it to work. If the door opens but the weather seal tears, replace it before it leaks.

Prevention: wipe rubber seals dry and treat them with silicone spray or a rubber care product in autumn. A thin film keeps water out and stops the rubber sticking. Spray a little lock lubricant into the locks, or use graphite based products, and avoid heavy grease. See frozen car doors, locks and windows a car door frozen shut, key fob dead in sub-zero cold for more on difficult cases.

Frozen handbrake and fuel door¶

A parking brake can freeze, particularly after driving through slush, which leaves the rear wheels locked. Avoid using the parking brake on a very cold night when you park on level ground, and leave the car in gear (manual) or in park. See electronic parking brake stuck engaged. A frozen fuel door can often be freed with a gentle push, a tap, and de-icer.

Visibility rules before you drive¶

Clear glass is not a nicety. It is what lets you see a child, a cyclist, or a stopped car in time. Clear all of the following before you move.

He maʻalahi ka lula puka makani: pono ʻoe e ʻike maopopo ma nā ʻaoʻao āpau. ʻAʻole lawa kahi ʻāpana liʻiliʻi liʻiliʻi, i kapa ʻia he "porthole". Inā ua pohu kou aniani i loko, e hana pū me ia.

Nā koi kānāwai e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka hau a me ka hau¶

ʻOkoʻa nā kānāwai e pili ana i ka hau a me ka hau ma nā kaʻa ma ka ʻāina, ka mokuʻāina, a me ka panalāʻau, a ʻaʻohe kānāwai kikoʻī i kekahi mau wahi akā e ʻae mau i nā mākaʻi e kū a hoʻopaʻi i ka mea hoʻokele no ka ʻike ʻole ʻia a i ʻole ka ukana palekana. Hoʻololi nā lula, no laila e nānā i ke kānāwai o kēia manawa ma kahi āu e hoʻokele ai. He hōʻuluʻulu maʻamau kēia.

Ma ʻAmelika Hui Pū ʻIa¶

ʻAʻohe kānāwai aupuni. Nui nā mokuʻāina, me kekahi mau mea ma ka ʻākau a me ka hikina, koi i nā mea hoʻokele e wehe i ka hau a me ka hau mai ke kaʻa ma mua o ka hoʻokele ʻana, a ʻo kekahi mau uku hoʻopaʻi e piʻi aʻe inā hāʻule ka hau i mea hōʻeha a pōʻino paha. Aia kekahi mau moku'āina i nā kānāwai e pili ana i nā kaʻa kalepa wale nō.

ʻOiai ʻaʻohe kānāwai, hiki i nā mākaʻi ke hoʻopuka i kahi tikiki no ka nānā ʻana a i ʻole ka mālama ʻole ʻana i ke kaʻa. E nānā i ke keʻena o nā kaʻa kaʻa a i ʻole nā ​​mākaʻi mokuʻāina no nā lula o kēia manawa.

Ma Kanada¶

Hoʻonohonoho nā panalāʻau i kā lākou mau rula. ʻO kekahi, me Quebec, koi i nā mea hoʻokele e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka hau a me ka hau mai ke kaʻa, a hilinaʻi nā panalāʻau ʻē aʻe i nā lula maʻamau e pili ana i ka nānā ʻana a me nā kaʻa palekana. Hiki ke hoʻopaʻi ʻia, a ʻoi aku paha ke kiʻekiʻe inā ʻeha ke kanaka a i ʻole ka waiwai. E nānā i ke kānāwai kaʻa kaʻa kaʻa kalana a i ʻole ke Kuhina Kaʻahele no nā kikoʻī o kēia manawa.

Ma United Kingdom¶

Ke ʻōlelo nei ke alanui alanui (rula 229) e hiki iā ʻoe ke ʻike maopopo, a pono ʻoe e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka hau a me ka hau mai nā puka makani, nā kukui, nā aniani, a me nā papa helu ma mua o kou kaʻa ʻana, a e hōʻoia ʻaʻole hiki i ka hau ke hāʻule mai luna mai o ka hale i kou pale makani a i ʻole kekahi. ʻAʻohe hewa kikoʻī i kapa ʻia "ʻaʻole e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka hau", akā hiki ke hoʻopaʻa ʻia a hoʻopaʻi ʻia ma lalo o nā lula no ke kaʻa ʻana me ka mālama pono ʻole, ka ʻike keakea, a i ʻole kahi kaʻa palekana, a hiki ke loaʻa nā helu hoʻopaʻi. ʻO ke kalaiwa ʻana me ka uhi ʻia a i ʻole ka palapala helu helu he hewa.

I ka ʻEulopa a me nā ʻāina ʻē aʻe¶

He ʻokoʻa nā lula ma ka ʻāina. Ma Kelemānia, pono e hoʻomaʻemaʻe nā mea hoʻokele i ka hau a me ka hau mai ke kaʻa, me ka hale, a pili ka uku i nā mea hoʻokele ʻaʻole. Aia kekahi mau ʻāina ʻē aʻe o ʻEulopa i nā lula like a i ʻole nā ​​​​mea hoʻokele maikaʻi ʻaʻole palekana nā kaʻa no ka hau a me ka hau.

Loaʻa i nā ʻāina Scandinavian nā lula ʻike a me nā kukui kukui i ka hoʻoilo. Inā hele ʻoe i ka ʻāina ʻē i ka hoʻoilo, e nānā i nā lula kūloko, a lawe i nā lako pono. E nana pahu kaʻa hoʻoilo a me ka nānā kaʻa ma mua o ka hoʻoilo no na kanawai kaa a me na lako.

No ke aha he mea nui ka hale¶

Hiki i ka ʻili hau a i ʻole ka hau e heʻe ana mai luna mai o ka hale ke wāwahi i ka pale makani o ke kaʻa ma hope, hoʻopōʻino, a hōʻeha i nā kānaka. ʻO ka hau mai nā kaʻa nui he pōʻino i ʻike ʻia, a lawe pinepine nā kaʻa a me nā kaʻa i nā pou kūikawā a i ʻole nā ​​​​rake no ka hoʻomaʻemaʻe. Mai manaʻo e puhi ka makani. Inā lōʻihi kou kaʻa, e hoʻohana i ka pulupulu telescoping mai ka honua, a mai piʻi i luna o ke kaʻa, no ka mea, ʻo ka hāʻule ke kumu maʻamau o ka ʻeha.

E mālama pono iā ʻoe iho i ka wā e hoʻopau ai i ka hau¶

De-icing is cold work, and slips are common.

• Wear boots with good grip and gloves, and take small steps on ice. Keep one hand free, and avoid carrying a heavy load.
• E hoʻomaʻemaʻe i kahi ākea a puni kāu kaʻa i ʻole ʻoe e hana ma ka ʻāina pahee. E kāpīpī i ke one a i ʻole ka paʻakai ma ke ala, inā hiki iā ʻoe.
• E nānā i ka lewa. Inā hāʻule ka ua hau, e kali, no ka mea, hoʻololi ka hau i kou hoʻomaʻemaʻe ʻana.
• Inā ʻike ʻoe i ka ʻeha o ka umauma, pōkole o ka hanu, a noni paha i ka wā e hoʻomaʻemaʻe ana i ka hau, e kū a kāhea i ke kōkua. ʻO ka ʻōʻō nui a me ka palaki ʻana i ʻike ʻia ma ka puʻuwai.
• Mai waiho wale i na keiki a me na holoholona ma ke kaa holo. E nana kī paʻa i loko o ke kaʻa me ke keiki a holoholona.
• Mai noho i loko o ke kaʻa me ka holo ʻana o ka ʻenekini i loko o ka hale kaʻa paʻa.

Inā paheʻe ʻoe a paʻi i kou poʻo, ʻeha ʻoe, a i ʻeha paha ka lima a i ʻole ka ʻūhā, e mālama pono iā ia. ʻO kahi papa kōkua mua lima mai ke Keʻa ʻulaʻula, St John Ambulance, a i ʻole kahi mea lawelawe kūloko e aʻo i ka pane ʻana i ka hāʻule a me nā ʻeha, a he hoʻohana maikaʻi ia i ka ʻauinalā.

Kāohi: e maʻalahi i ke kakahiaka o ka lā ʻapōpō¶

• E paka ma lalo o ka uhi, ma ka hale kaʻa, a i ʻole e kū pono ana i ka hikina i hiki ai ka lā kakahiaka i ka pale makani.
• E uhi i ka pale makani me ka uhi hau a i ʻole ka pepa pahu, a hoʻoponopono me nā puka a i ʻole nā ​​wipers.
• E hāpai i nā lima wiper mai ke aniani i ka pō inā wānana ka hau.
• E mālama i nā sila lāʻau me ka ʻūhā silikoni i ka hāʻule, a e hoʻopaʻa i nā pahu me kahi lubricant laka.
• E hoʻopiha i ka waihona holoi me ka wai hoʻoilo.
• E mālama i kahi ʻōpala, kahi pulupulu, kahi mea hoʻoheheʻe hau, a me nā mīkina lima ʻokoʻa i loko o ke kaʻa, hiki ke hiki.
• E maloʻo ka loko: lulu i nā kāmaʻa, wehe i nā moena pulu, a wehe i nā puka makani no kekahi mau minuke ma mua o kou paka ʻana.
• E ʻae i ʻumi mau minuke i ke kakahiaka anuanu, i ʻole ʻoe e wikiwiki.
• E hoʻohana i kahi mea hoʻomaka mamao a i ʻole ka manawa, inā loaʻa iā ʻoe, ma ke ʻano palekana a me ke kānāwai.

Hiki iā ʻoe ke hana a kūʻai paha i ka hoʻomaʻemaʻe¶

Hana maikaʻi nā huahana ʻoihana a kūʻai aku i ka hoʻohālikelike ʻia me ka pōʻino mai ke ala hewa.

Pehea ka hui ʻana o ka vīneka a me ka paʻakai¶

Manaʻo kekahi poʻe i ka ʻehu o ka vīneka a me ka wai ma ke aniani i ka pō e hoʻolohi i ka hau. Hiki ke kōkua liʻiliʻi, akā hiki ke paʻakikī i ka pena a me ka lāʻau a honi ikaika. ʻOi aku ka hilinaʻi o kahi uhi hau. Hoʻoheheʻe ka paʻakai i ka hau, akā hiki iā ia ke ʻoki i ke aniani, hōʻino i nā sila, a me ka metala ʻōpala, no laila e pale i ka kau ʻana i ka paʻakai ma ke kaʻa.

ʻāpana a me nā ʻōnaehana wela¶

Nui nā kaʻa i hoʻomehana uila no ka puka makani hope, nā aniani, nā wipers, nā pahu holoi, a me ka huila a me nā noho. E hoʻohana iā lākou. E nānā i kēlā me kēia hoʻoilo i ka hana ʻana o ka wela a maikaʻi ka fuse. Hoʻohana ʻia nā pale mua wela i nā uwea maikaʻi a i ʻole ka uhi ʻana, a pono e ʻoki wale ʻia me kahi mea ʻili plastik, no ka mea hiki i kahi mea hao ke ʻoki i nā uwea.

Hiki i ka mea hoʻomaka mamao ke hoʻomehana i ke kaʻa mai loko mai. He mea maʻalahi, akā e nānā i nā kānāwai kūloko e pili ana i ka waiho ʻana i kahi kaʻa e holo ana me ka mālama ʻole ʻia, a e hōʻoia i ka laka ʻana o ke kaʻa a ma kahi hiki ʻole ke komo i kahi hale. Mai hoʻohana i kahi hoʻomaka mamao ke kaʻa i loko o kahi kaʻa i hoʻopili ʻia.

Hoʻopaʻa i nā mea wela a me ka hau¶

Ma nā piʻi anuanu loa, hoʻomaʻamaʻa ka mea hoʻomehana poloka ʻenekini i ka mea hoʻomaʻamaʻa, e kōkua ana i ka mea hoʻomehana e hana wikiwiki a hoʻomaʻemaʻe koke i ka pale. ʻAʻole ia e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka hau ponoʻī, akā pōkole ia i ka manawa e pono ai ʻoe e kali. E hoʻohana me ka manawa a me ke kaula waho kūpono.

Ice on lights, sensors, and cameras¶

Lawe nā kaʻa o kēia wā i ka radar, nā mea ʻike kani ultrasonic, a me nā kāmera i nā bumper, nā aniani, a me ka pale makani. Hiki i ka hau a i ʻole ka hau ma luna o kahi mea ʻike ke hoʻopau i nā hiʻohiʻona palekana e like me ka hoʻopaʻa ʻakomi, mālama ala, a me nā mea kaʻa. E hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka wahi ma mua o ka hōʻailona radar ma ka grille, nā mea ʻike kaʻa ma nā bumper, a me ke aniani pahu pahu.

Hana maikaʻi ka pulumu palupalu a me ka lole, a hiki i ka ʻōpala ke ʻoki i ka plastic. Inā hōʻike ka ʻōlelo aʻoaʻo ua paʻa kahi sensor, hoʻomaʻemaʻe a hoʻomaka hou i ke kaʻa.

Pono pū nā kukui a me nā kukui huelo. Holo mālie nā kukui LED a hoʻoheheʻe paha i ka hau, no laila e nānā iā lākou ma ka lima. ʻO ke kukui i uhi ʻia me ka hau hiki iā ʻoe ke paʻakikī ke ʻike aku i nā mea hoʻokele ʻē aʻe, a ʻino paha ke kuhi ʻana o ke kukui.

Hoʻohuehu a hau i loko o ke aniani¶

ʻO ka hau o loko ka wai mai ka lewa e huli ana i hau, a hana ia i ka wā e maʻalili ai ke kaʻa pulu i ka pō. No ka wehe ʻana iā ia, e holo i ka mea hoʻomehana ma ka hoʻonohonoho ʻana i ka makani me ka ea ea, a e hoʻomaha mālie i ke aniani. E ʻoki i waho inā pono, a holoi i loko me kahi lole maloʻo. Mai ʻoki ʻoe i loko me kahi mea hana paʻakikī, no ka mea, e ʻoki ʻoe i ke aniani.

No ka hōʻemi ʻana, e hoʻokaʻawale i ke kaʻa o nā mea pulu, e hoʻopau i ka recirculation, a paka me ka pukaaniani hāmama ma kahi o 1 kenimika (hapalua ʻīniha) ma kahi palekana, uhi ʻia. Hiki ke hoʻohana hou ʻia i ka wā maloʻo i ka ʻeke o nā kristal a i ʻole silica gel i loko o ke kaʻa.

Palekana i kou kali ʻana¶

Inā pono ʻoe e kali i loko o ke kaʻa me ka holo ʻana o ka ʻenekini i ka wā e maʻemaʻe ai ke aniani, e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka ʻūhū a nahā ka puka makani i ka hau. Mai waiho wale i nā keiki liʻiliʻi a i ʻole nā ​​holoholona i loko o ke kaʻa holo, a mai noho ma ka noho hoʻokele me ka ʻenekini i loko o kahi kaʻa paʻa. Inā ʻeha ʻoe, ʻeha ʻeha, a ʻeha paha, e hele i waho i ka ea hou a ʻike kalapona monoxide a me ka uahi inhalation kōkua mua.

Nīnau pinepine¶

Hiki iaʻu ke hoʻohana i ka wai mahana e hoʻoheheʻe i koʻu pale makani?¶

It is better to avoid water. Cool or lukewarm water may work in a pinch if temperatures are only just below freezing, but it can refreeze quickly and make a slippery mess. Boiling or very hot water can crack the glass. Use a plastic scraper, a de-icer spray, and the car heater instead.

Is it illegal to drive with snow on the roof of my car?¶

It depends on where you are. Several US states and Canadian provinces, and countries such as Germany, require drivers to clear snow and ice from the roof and other parts of the vehicle, with fines that can rise if it causes harm. Where no specific law exists, you can still be stopped for an unsafe vehicle or an obstructed view. Check your local rules, and clear it anyway for safety.

What can I use if I have no scraper?¶

A stiff plastic card or the flat side of a plastic spatula can work in a pinch, though neither is as good as a real scraper, and credit cards can break. Run the heater and defroster, and let the ice loosen before you scrape. Avoid metal tools and hot water, and buy a proper scraper as soon as you can.

How do I stop my wipers freezing to the windscreen?¶

Lift the wiper arms off the glass before a frosty night, or cover the windscreen with a frost cover or cardboard. In the morning, run the defroster and clear the ice around the blades before you switch the wipers on. Winter blades and a washer fluid rated for the cold also help.

Nānā ʻia nā kumu¶

• The Highway Code (United Kingdom), rule 229, and National Highways (England) winter driving guidance.
• NHTSA (United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and AAA guidance on winter vehicle care and visibility.
• Transport Canada winter driving guidance, and the Quebec highway safety code on removing snow and ice from vehicles.
• Met Office (United Kingdom) and National Weather Service (United States) guidance on freezing rain and winter travel.
• Ready.gov (United States) winter driving and carbon monoxide safety, and German and Austrian road traffic rules for clearing vehicles as summarized by national motoring clubs.

Nā alakaʻi pili¶

• ʻO nā puka kaʻa hau, nā laka a me nā puka makani
• Car door frozen shut, key fob dead in sub-zero cold
• ʻO ka pahu kaʻa hoʻoilo a me ka nānā kaʻa ma mua o ka hoʻoilo
• Skidding on ice or black ice
• Driving in fog, freezing rain and whiteout