Drivers have been warned about 'portholing' laws after one in six motorists said they continued to drive "knowing it was dangerous".
Around one million drivers have been involved in an accident due to not properly clearing their windscreens before getting behind the wheel.
Despite a majority of the drivers knowing the rules of the road, many said they simply ‘can’t be bothered’ to clear their windscreen, whilst one in 10 don’t want to get their hands cold.
Portholing is a driving offence whereby motorists do not fully clear the windows of their car from ice, frost or snow – in some cases leaving just a small ‘porthole’ to see out of.
Shockingly, over half of UK motorists (53%) admitted they have done it, risking a fine of £60 – rising to £2,500 if their vehicle is deemed dangerous – and three points on their licence.
The research, which has been carried out by Halfords, suggested motorists were taking a lax attitude towards this.
However, multiple reports of police fining drivers for the offence during the December cold snap suggested some forces across the country could be cracking down on the issue.
Most drivers are not naïve to the law, with 82% saying they were aware that getting behind the wheel without clearing all the ice and snow from their windows could land them with a fine and points on their licence.
Many also understand the dangers, but flout them anyway - with one in six (17%) admitting they have driven with so much ice or snow covering their windscreen that they ‘knew it was dangerous’.
Despite that, 12% simply said they don’t think they need to clear it all off to drive.
Amongst those who said they’ve previously not properly cleared their windows, 10% said it was because they ‘couldn’t be bothered’, and 9% saysaidthey didn’t want to get their hands cold.
However, 58% of drivers said they would be angry if someone who drove into them hadn’t properly cleared their windscreen.
And furthermore, 3% of motorists – equating to roughly a million drivers – admitted they have been in an accident because they’d not properly cleared their windows.
Although some of the drivers admitted to being guilty of portholing, few appeared to have a good excuse.
The most common reasons include being late for work, being late for a meeting/appointment, and being late to get the kids to school.
Over a quarter of the participants said they assumed the ice or snow would simply melt and fall off once they started driving.
Many drivers also do not appear to understand the dos and don't of clearing their windscreen, with 22% admitting that they’ve made the rookie error of pouring boiling water over it to clear it of ice.
Almost 30 of the respondents in the 2,000-person survey admitted to taking a rather extreme approach and using a flame-thrower (either a professional one or a lighter and aerosol can) or a blow torch to de-ice their car.
Following the survey, Halfords CEO Graham Stapleton has called on motorists to make sure they properly clear their windscreens during the current cold snap.
He said: “Most motorists know that driving with ice or snow on their windows is illegal and dangerous, so I really don’t understand why so many are needlessly putting themselves at risk.
“Whilst officers may exercise some discretion, the letter of the law states that all windows, including those on the sides and at the rear, must be completely free of snow or ice. But anyone driving with just a small part of their windscreen cleared is at risk of being stopped.
“I’d also add that motorists should clear any snow from their roof. When braking, this could be propelled forward and entirely cover the windscreen – not something anyone would want to experience whilst driving, especially at faster speeds such as on a motorway.”
