As the big freeze continues across Ireland, a survey has shown that one in three drivers admit hitting the road on frosty mornings without being able to see out of their windscreen properly.
Researchers found most motorists reckon they are 'in too much of a rush' to fully defrost their vehicle before heading off to work. It also emerged men are far worse than women at pulling off the driveway while peering through a tiny spot of clear glass at the road ahead.
The study also found more than one in ten drivers has had a near-miss in the last year because they haven't cleared their windscreen. Paddy Murphy of Continental Tyres, which polled 4,000 drivers in Ireland and the UK said: ''Preparation is key when setting out in your car, especially during the winter months. It is essential to be able to see and be seen.
"An astonishing 52% of people know it is wrong to drive without a fully clear windscreen but fail to do anything about it. "Stopping distances are adversely affected by the current wintry weather and road conditions and people are six times more likely to have an accident during the winter months.
“Particularly in wintry conditions, the advice is to check your lights, ensure your windscreen and windows are clear, that your brakes are in good condition, your tyres have a minimum of 3mm of tread and increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front.”
It also emerged four out of ten motorists don't bother cleaning mirrors or rear windows before setting off in the winter. And such is the lack of preparation that one in five have reported using a credit card to clear the windscreen of ice.
Seven out of ten never check tyre tread depth and fail to ensure tyres are roadworthy. A quarter don't even bother checking if their lights are working. Eight in 10 see other motorists on their daily commute who have been too lazy to clear their windscreen, an average of FOUR cars every frosty morning.
Researchers also found one in four drivers admit they are often half asleep when they get behind the wheel in the morning. And they take at least four minutes to properly wake up after getting behind the wheel.
