A motoring expert has taken to TikTok to share how a common practice when de-icing a car could result in drivers receiving a fine.
Rooster Car Insurance regularly posts videos to their TikTok page showing how drivers can stay safe and avoid unexpected costs when behind the wheel.
In a popular video, a spokesperson for Rooster Car Insurance noted that leaving the engine running whilst de-icing the windows could come with consequences.
She explained: “Did you know that leaving your car engine to defrost your windscreen could result in you getting a fine of up to £80?
“In the UK engine idling is illegal. This is where you leave an engine running whilst stationary on a public road. Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 prohibits leaving the engine on when it is not needed.”
On cold winter mornings, many drivers will turn on their vehicle’s engine before they start de-icing the windows to heat up the interior and demist the windscreen.
However, the Rooster Car Insurance employee warned that leaving the engine on unnecessarily whilst parked on a public road is illegal.
This is because an idling vehicle typically produces twice the amount of pollution as it does whilst moving and can result in worse overall fuel economy.
Later in the video, the spokesperson noted that the fine is double in London, where drivers have just two weeks to pay before the penalty fee increases.
She added: “Firstly, they [the fines] are not as bad as they sound. The average UK driver would be issued a £20 fine, which doubles to £40 if not paid in 28 days.
“But, in some areas of London, this fine is £40 which doubles to £80 if not paid in two weeks.”
However, drivers that leave their vehicles engine running whilst they are not behind the wheel risk bigger consequences than a fine.
In a bid to cut the time needed to deice and demist their car on mornings, some drivers start the engine several minutes before they are ready to set off, leaving it unattended and therefore vulnerable to thieves.
In addition, most car insurers would not pay out if a vehicle is stolen whilst warming up as the owner has failed to keep the keys safe, meaning they could be tens of thousands out of pocket.
