Drivers face £2,500 fine and licence points for making easy wiper blade mistake - Glasgow Live

2022-05-29 11:22:11 By : Mr. Winter Shang

Car experts have warned drivers that they face a £2,500 minimum fine — as well as at least three points on their licence — for making one mistake involving wiper blades

Don't miss any of Glasgow Live's biggest stories - sign up to our daily email newsletter

Drivers face a £2,500 minimum fine, as well as three points on their licence, for making one mistake involving their wiper blades.

With so many elements of a car that need to be checked and maintained such as brakes and tyres, it is easy for motorists to overlook the importance of the wiper blades on their windscreen.

However, in poor weather such as rain and snow, they can make the difference between being able to see and not — and are therefore crucial.

READ MORE — The omicron symptoms that can last for months after covid infection

According to car experts at National Tyres, failing to replace ineffective, worn out, or faulty wiper blades increases the chances of you being involved in an accident.

Additionally, the UK Government states that "all wipers and washers which are required to be fitted must be properly adjusted and maintained in efficient working order".

Under Section 40a of The Road Traffic Act: Using a Vehicle in a Dangerous Condition Part II, “a person is guilty of an offence if he uses, or causes or permits another to use, a motor vehicle or trailer on a road when the condition of the motor vehicle or trailer, or of its accessories or equipment is such that the use of the motor vehicle or trailer involves a danger of injury to any person.”

Get all the latest Glasgow news and headlines sent straight to your inbox twice a day by signing up to our free newsletter.

From breaking news to the latest on the coronavirus crisis in Scotland, we''ll have you covered.

The morning newsletter arrives every day before 9am and the evening newsletter, manually curated by the team, is sent between 4pm and 5pm, giving you a round up of the most important stories we've covered that day.

To sign up, simply enter your email address into this link here.

Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition and failing to have proper control of your vehicle or a full view of the road and traffic ahead are both violations of the Highway Code, and each come with a penalty.

For the former, you could be hit with a £2,500 fine minimum and three points on you licence depending on the type of vehicle, while the latter could result in a fine of over £1,000 and also three licence points.

Group Marketing Director of National Tyres Michael Bourne commented: “Windscreen wipers are pivotal to safety and being able to see those around you, yet there are so many people unaware of how important it is to keep them in the best possible condition.

"The last thing a driver wants is to realise their visibility is compromised by defective windscreen wipers when they’re travelling at speed or when the weather suddenly turns bad."

Windscreen wipers should be replaced at least once a year, however depending on usage, environment, and quality of the wipers, they may need replacing even more regularly.

You should consider making a reminder on your calendar or phone to remind you to test your wipers by a certain date to avoid being at risk of a fine.

Furthermore, your car can fail its MOT if your windscreen wipers do not operate or are missing. It can also fail if the wiper blade is defective or does not clean the windscreen properly e.g., leaves streaks or smudges.

Checking your wiper blades before taking your car in for an MOT can save you any extra costs from a new MOT test to labour costs to replace the wiper blades.

Check your wipers are in working condition by:

● Checking your wipers don't leave streaks and smears behind when they remove rain, debris, or dirt. Do you have enough windscreen washer fluid to assist them? Do they need a good clean? If after checking these your wipers still don’t clean your windscreen efficiently, you need to replace them.

● Is the rubber of your wipers cracked or split in any way? If so, you need new ones.

● Are your wipers bouncing off your screen rather than smoothly gliding across the surface of the glass? These will fail to effectively clean your windscreen and would make you liable for a fine.