New photo Is it illegal to leave your car idling to de-ice the windscreen, can you be fined and how’s your insurance affected?

THE tedious job of dealing with frozen windscreens is about to get worse as the prospect of snow for the UK continues.

This means many motorists are likely to get stung by a fine for using this common technique to de-ice their cars.

It is against the law to do this

Alamy

Is leaving your car engine idle an illegal way of de-icing your car?

If you leave your engine running while your car is stationary on the road, it could land you in hot water.

Stationary idling is an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which means leaving the car running with the heater on the windscreen is off-limits.

The Act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code which states: “You must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”

And if a fine’s not enough to deter you – or you’re lucky enough to have a driveway – there’s an even better reason not to leave your motor running.

You should only ever use a proper scraper to remove ice from your windscreen and avoid damage to the glass

Getty - Contributor

What is the penalty for leaving your car with its engine running?

If you are caught by a copper you will be slapped with a fixed £20 fine – or £40 if not paid within a given time frame.

But never mind the police, leaving the engine going to warm it up or defrost your windscreen while you pop back inside makes your car the ideal target for opportunistic thieves.

Should your vehicle be stolen in this way, it is more than likely your insurance company will refuse to pay out on your loss, as you have invalidated your insurance by acting in a way which significantly increased the risk of your car being stolen.

The best way to de-ice your windscreen

• Mix up a solution of water with a teaspoon of salt and pour it over icy areas


• A mixture of three parts of vinegar to one part of water will also do the trick


• DON’T pour boiling water onto frozen car windows


• DON’T use anything other than a car-specific scraper to remove the frost


• Prevent windscreen frost by soaking an old towel in a solution made up of water and table salt, or a mix of one part of water and two parts of alcohol, then place it over your car windows the night before

Know your road laws

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You could be fined up to £1,000 for giving way to police in an emergency

The law doesn’t mean you have to turn your engine off at every red light, though, it’s simply aimed at unnecessarily idling vehicles to help reduce noise and air pollution.

Don’t think you need to switch off your engine every time you are stuck in a traffic jam, either.

With newer, more-fuel-efficient vehicles, leaving your engine idling for a short period of time while sitting in traffic will actually use less fuel than if you were to continually switch off and start up your engine.

Link
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News Pictures Is it illegal to leave your car idling to de-ice the windscreen, can you be fined and how’s your insurance affected?

You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!

TEENS
Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st

To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.

Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”

Nicollette says: “I don’t like diets – I see it, I eat it! I believe in eating healthily with lots of protein, vegetables and carbs to give you energy.”

kim cattrall

Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb

SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.

Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
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