Drivers warned using easy hack to defrost their car this winter could land them £80 fine – don’t get caught out

DRIVERS have been warned to avoid using a simple hack to defrost their car as it could land them with an £80 fine.

Rooster Insurance took to its TikTok page to alert motorists to the issue and shared the details to their 34,900 followers.

An employee from the company highlighted the apparently little-known details in a post on the social media site called ‘Here’s how you can get fined while defrosting your windscreen!”

The opening image should a car clearly covered in frost while the caption said: “How you defrost your windscreen could be illegal!”

A woman then said: “Did you know that leaving your car engine on to defrost your windscreen could result in you getting a fine of up to £80.”

The woman added: “In the UK, engine idling is illegal.

“This is when you leave a vehicle’s engine running while stationary on a public road.

“Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 prohibits leaving your engine on when it is not needed.”

She continued: “Two of the most common reasons for engine idling are parents waiting to pick up their children from schools or drivers warming up their vehicles to defrost their windscreen in colder months.”

The woman said though that the law only applies to public roads, so you can legally leave your car engine running if it is parked on a private driveway or even a supermarket car park.

The Rooster Insurance employee said: “But why is idling so bad?

“Exhaust fumes emitted into the atmosphere from idling cars pose real health risks as exposure can cause lung and respiratory problems.

“This is especially important for cars idling outside of schools.”

In a follow up post, the same employee explained that a fine might not be as bad as it sounds.

She said the average UK driver would initially be hit with a £20 fine which would be doubled to £40 if not paid within 28 days.

However, she said that in some parts of London the initial fine would be £40 which would double to £80 if not paid within two weeks.

She also warned that idling is not good for your car as it can cause engine wear and tear over time, “resulting in higher maintenance costs”.

The woman added: “Around schools and heavily populated areas, it’s fair to say that engines should be turned off to reduce pollution but should drivers who don’t own driveways be penalised for defrosting their windscreens?”

The original post has become a huge hit on the site having been viewed nearly 974,000 times, picking up 31,000 likes and more than 3,000 comments.

One person said: “So instead of waiting for my wing mirrors and windows to defrost I’ll go have an accident which will be my fault… makes sense.”

Another wrote: “Swear, it’s starting to become a punishment to drive in the UK.”

While a third added: “But it’s illegal to drive with ur view restricted. Omg, make up their minds.”

Earlier this month, it was revealed how motorists can legally, defrost their windscreen in a matter of seconds.

This comes after road-users discovered a “super fast” gadget from Argos that can defog a windscreen and it keep ice away on a winter day.

What’s more, a van-lifer showed fans a clever DIY hack to stop a windscreen frosting over… for just £2.50.

Meanwhile, a car servicing expert has told how a hack costing just 10p can make all the difference when defrosting your windscreen.