Warrant Officer Monika Kaleta from the Lower Silesian Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław:

Police officers remind drivers that ensuring sufficient visibility is a very important task before setting out by car. This is particularly important in winter, when we may find in the morning that a layer of frozen snow is covering our car. Leaving a small strip on the windshield through which we observe our surroundings is definitely not a safe idea. We should defrost or clean all the windows to ensure maximum visibility.

If a layer of snow has accumulated on the car, we must remove that as well. This has very practical benefits—the snow stuck to the vehicle obscures the headlights and turn signals. In addition, when driven at speed, snow from the car lands on the road, where it can be dangerous for other drivers. All those who are forgetful or lazy must expect the possibility of receiving a ticket during a police check.

The fact that driving such an uncleared car is an offense is stated in Article 66 of the Road Traffic Act:

Article 66. 1. A vehicle participating in road traffic must be constructed, equipped and maintained so that its use:

1) does not endanger the safety of the people traveling in it or other road users, does not disrupt traffic order on the road and does not expose anyone to harm;

[...]

5) provides the driver with an adequate field of vision and enables the easy, convenient and reliable operation of the devices used for steering, braking, signaling and illuminating the road while simultaneously observing it.

The police spokesperson adds:

This means that the side mirrors should also be cleared of snow. Only completely removing ice and snow from them will provide us with a sufficient field of vision, which is particularly important when, for example, changing lanes.

What else should be done?

Police officers: “In addition to the tasks every driver should perform before setting out on a journey, other preparations should be made before the start of the winter season. Changing tires appears to be one of the most important. The compounds used to make winter tires are designed to provide maximum grip in low temperatures. The headlight alignment should also be checked because darkness falls quickly. Old windshield-wiper blades can also lead to dangerous situations—by smearing water and dirt, they make it difficult to notice details on the road.

The police add:

Let us think about ourselves and our loved ones who travel with us in the car. Wintertime, and the changing road conditions that come with it, mean that our car behaves somewhat differently on the road. Therefore, we should remember to change the tires and windshield-wiper blades, use washer fluid that remains effective in below-zero temperatures, and properly prepare the car for driving.