winter windshield
Washingtonians could be breaking law if they do a couple of these illegal things while trying to or failing to properly clear their windshield. (AP Photo/file)

Survey finds windshield-clearing lawbreakers in the Northwest

BY Chris Sullivan  on February 1, 2013 @ 12:17 pm (Updated: 12:33 pm - 2/1/13 )

Nod quietly to yourself if you rely on your car's defroster to clear the windshield of ice instead of using a scraper.

The latest survey by PEMCO Insurance finds 63 percent of Northwesterners do, and they could be breaking the law.

"The poll data doesn't specifically say so, but it's likely that at least some of those people start their cars, go back inside their warm houses, and then leave their cars running while they heat up," says PEMCO's Jon Osterberg.

Osterberg says is against the law to leave the car running like that. It is also a great invitation for thieves.

"I've seen people do that. I might have even done that once or twice myself in the past," says Osterberg. "We just want to make sure people are aware it's not just an opportunity for theft, but it's illegal as well."

The survey also found that 17 percent of people in Washington don't clear their entire windshield before driving off, which is also against the law.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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  • mnpat wrote...
    Hey PEMCO
    February 1, 2013 11:44 am
    Come visit Grand Rapids MN when it -45 and I bet you will see every car in the parking lot of the grocery store running, it's pretty much what they do.
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