Driving with a clean windshield ensures safe driving. But note to those who are far from being maniacal on the issue, and who risk paying a fine!
It goes without saying that to drive safely, you must see the road correctly. The driver’s vision is essential and should be checked regularly. If necessary, he must wear lenses or glasses in order to be as responsive as possible. The same goes for the car windshield, which should be clean and crisp when you get behind the wheel. It should therefore be cleaned regularly. Besides, driving with a dirty windshield can expose you to a fine. But to what extent can a police officer consider that the window is “dirty” to the point of issuing a ticket?
According to article R316-3 of the Highway Code, “the windshield windows and the front side windows on the driver’s side and passenger’s side must have sufficient transparency, both from the inside and outside of the vehicle, and not cause any notable deformation of objects seen through transparency or any notable modification of their colors. The transparency of these panes is considered sufficient if the regular light transmission factor is at least 70%. In the event of breakage, they must allow the driver to continue to see the road clearly.
It can happen that there is so much dust on the car windows that it is almost impossible to see the road clearly. A dirty windshield can also concern motorists who drive without waiting for the fog to disappear or when the windows are still obscured by a layer of ice during low temperatures. In such a situation, it is recommended to wait before starting using a scraper, a de-icer spray, and the car heater. As you will have understood, the windshield must be clear enough to allow you to see the road, in front, but also to the sides.
If checked by the police, driving with a dirty windshield can earn you a third class fine, specifies the government. This is equivalent to a fine of 68 euros. But be careful, during this check, if the police realize that your windshield is dirty due to a fault in your windshield wipers, or that your windshield washer system is not working, you risk another fine, again of 68 euros, according to another article of the Highway Code, R316-4. What if we took advantage of spring cleaning to also wash our vehicle?