Police stop a number of ‘igloo’ drivers

Everyone is familiar with the situation: you’re in a hurry and want to drive from A to B as quickly as possible, but the car is covered by snow and ice. Beware: scraping a peephole in the windscreen is not enough.

Temperatures have been below freezing in recent days and nights, and the police have had to stop several drivers who were driving with their windows iced-up. According to the Zug police, these drivers had only scraped free a part of the windscreen, or were driving with their side windows and side mirrors iced-up, which severely restricted their view. “Igloo drivers” endanger both themselves and other road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists. Drivers traveling like this will be charged, and can expect to have their driving licences confiscated. They also face high fines.

Photo 1: If you’re driving like this, you risk a fine, and also endanger yourself and others
Photo 2: The side mirrors also need to be free of ice and snow

Even though scraping the window at sub-zero temperatures can be unpleasant; take the time to do this, say the Zug police in their message. “The law requires that windows, rear view mirrors, lights and control signs to be kept clean. No snow or ice should fall from the roof of your car or trailer while driving. You should therefore always plan enough time to free your vehicle from snow and ice all around.”

The Zug police appeal to the common sense of drivers, so that other road users will not be endangered and accidents can be prevented, even in the winter months