Don’t be a peephole driver when the snow flies or windshields freeze with moisture.

During frequent cold snaps this time of year throughout Colorado most of the rest of the country, stretching all the way through spring, drivers need to schedule extra time before driving away in cars that have not been garaged. Each driver needs to clear the entire windshield and all other glass essential to the safe operation of any motor vehicle. The vehicle’s windshield defroster should be blowing heat before the car moves. A warm windshield avoids sudden inside or outside frosting.

Those who cannot keep their windshields clear, for whatever reason, should pull over, park in a safe location, and stay put until the problem can be solved.

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This seems like common sense, but nearly every cold morning we see drivers trying to see through obstructed windshields and side windows. Law enforcement too often finds windows obstructed by snow and/or ice when they respond to crashes.

Just last week our community saw the tragic result of a young driver in Colorado Springs who tried to skimp on windshield scraping. His Dodge truck hit a pedestrian crossing the street at South Nevada Avenue and East Las Vegas Street early in the morning. Police say the driver operated the truck with a windshield frosted over with ice. The driver tried to navigate by peering through a small patch cleared off near the driver’s side.

The pedestrian sustained life-threatening injuries; police charged the driver with careless driving resulting in injury.

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All pedestrians and people in cars deserve commonsense safety precautions by all others on the road. One person’s failure to plan should not cost another person’s life or well-being.

Driving a vehicle without the benefit of full vision turns tons of steel into a dangerous weapon. And no, it is not anyone’s right to take this risk. We have laws that require all occupants of vehicles to wear seatbelts. We have a large variety of laws intended to improve the safety of drivers, their passengers, and others on the road. These laws are part of maintaining a civilized society.

Local and state politicians should assess laws regulating windshield obstruction and ensure they are tough enough to deter this common and dangerous shortcut. Too many drivers clearly believe the reward of saving time by making do with peepholes is worth the savings in time and exposure to the cold. The conscious decision to drive with a window obstructed by snow or ice should be a serious infraction.

When the weather is cold, don’t be a peephole menace. Warm the defroster, scrape the windshield and keep it clear. Saving a few minutes should never involve risking human lives.

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