WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER LEAVE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS RAISED IN WINTER

Plus Other Winter Tips and Tricks

We’ve got enough to worry about when it comes to winter driving, but visibility takes the cake. So here’s how to treat your windshield wipers with love so they’ll never fail you again.

According to Driving.ca, the number one cause of wiper system failures is simply that people forget to turn them off every time they park – even on sunny dry days.

Another common misconception is that leaving your wiper arms raised off of the windshield to prevent freezing is helpful. LIES! This “proactive” measure is dangerous because on a windy day, the arm can snap down with force that’s hard enough to crack your windshield. Instead, Driving.ca suggests “to sheath the wiper blades with a plastic bag and leave them in their normal position.”

Also, don’t make the mistake of letting ice and snow build up at the bottom of the wipers arms. To avoid this, make sure to dig out the snow with a brush or your hand before you head out. If ice forms at the bottom of the arm, defrosting it with cool water is always a good option (do not use warm or hot water).

(Photo Credit: Edward Liu)