Safety

Safety: see and be seen

Safety at the wheel starts with spotting danger in time and with others spotting you in time. Dirty glass, misted side windows or dim headlights do not look like a serious problem until they cut your reaction time at exactly the moment you need it most.

A car with clean headlights and glass not only sees better but also comes into other people's view sooner.

— Editor's note

We rely on the general requirements for glass and wipers and on common sense. The only specific figures in this section are those set out in the documents listed under sources, which are Russian/EAEU rules; other countries have their own.

See and be seen

Six habits that help drivers see the road and stay visible to everyone else.

Fully cleared glass

Before you set off, clear snow and ice from all the windows and the roof. A narrow strip of visibility will not show you a pedestrian at the side or a car pulling out of a side road.

Car glass (in Russian)

Mirrors before you move off

Adjust the mirrors while sitting in your normal driving position. Angle the door mirrors so that your own car's side is barely visible: that way their view overlaps less with the interior mirror.

Equipment

A look over your shoulder

Even well-adjusted mirrors leave blind spots. Before changing lanes, take a quick look over your shoulder and remember that a motorcycle or bicycle can easily hide in that area.

Problems

Clean headlights and lights

Dirt on the lenses weakens the light and scatters it in all directions, dazzling oncoming drivers. Clean the headlights, rear lights and indicators as regularly as the windscreen.

Care

Dry glass on the inside

Misted side windows hide the mirrors, and you stop seeing what is happening next to you. Turn on the demister early, not once the glass has already clouded over.

Misting up (in Russian)

A clear view ahead

Dark film on the front windows makes it harder to see the road at dusk and to make eye contact with pedestrians. The light transmission requirements exist for a reason.

Window tint (in Russian)

What the rules say

In Russia and the other EAEU countries, the Customs Union technical regulation TR CU 018/2011 states that the windscreen and front door windows must transmit at least 70 % of light. This applies both to the factory glass and to any film or coating on top of it. Other countries set their own tint limits, so check the regulations where you drive.

Under the Russian Code of Administrative Offences, part 3.1 of article 12.5, there is administrative liability for glass whose light transmission does not meet the requirements. We do not quote amounts: see the current version of the code itself.

In addition, the Russian list of faults that prohibit vehicle use includes wipers and washers not working as designed. In other words, working wipers and washers are a requirement, not a nice-to-have. Roadworthiness rules in other countries differ, so check your local regulations.

Window tint (in Russian)
Archived address: what Russian/EAEU rules require of front-glass light transmission and how to get window tint right.
Misting up (in Russian)
Archived address: why windows mist up on the inside, how to clear them quickly and how to stop it happening.
Care
Seasonal care for glass, wiper blades, washer fluid, mirrors and headlights, plus replacing blades as the manual describes.

Sources

TR CU 018/2011 (Customs Union technical regulation, Russia/EAEU)
Russian Code of Administrative Offences (art. 12.5)
Russian Basic Provisions on vehicle roadworthiness: list of faults that prohibit vehicle use
Car owner's manuals (general provisions)

Regulatory requirements are described as they stood on the date each page was prepared. The cited rules are Russian and EAEU rules; other countries set their own tint limits and roadworthiness rules, and rules change from time to time. Glass, wiper and demisting set-ups also differ from car to car, so check the current local regulations and your own car's owner's manual.