Stay away from this button in your car if you're driving in winter

Good visibility is the be-all and end-all in winter. That's why it's essential to scrape the windows clear and remove any snow before setting off. If you own a car with a heated windshield, you've hit the jackpot. Fortunately, the heated rear window is standard.

Ventilation can be used to prevent the windshield from misting up while driving. But it needs to be operated correctly, otherwise you will achieve the exact opposite and suddenly find yourself 'flying blind'. And that's exactly why you should definitely keep your hands off a button in particular at this time of year.

Watch out, do not press this button!

This refers to the ventilation switch or controller with the arrow shaped like a 'U'. This is the control for the recirculation function. And it is precisely this that can become a problem in winter. Normally, the blower lets air into the vehicle from outside. The recirculation function, on the other hand, only allows the air already inside the car to circulate.

This can be useful when driving through long tunnels, for example. This way you don't get the exhaust-laden air inside the vehicle. The recirculation button has another benefit when using the air conditioning, reports Stuttgarter-nachrichten.de. As new hot air is not constantly entering the car, the air conditioning consumes less energy.

Read more:Here's why you should never press this button in your car during winter

Moisture stays in the car

In winter, however, the air recirculation function has a decisive disadvantage: it keeps the moisture inside the car and the windows mist up. If visibility is impaired in this way, the risk of an accident increases significantly, warns heute.at. Air exchange is of crucial importance in winter.

Read more:As a superfog causes massive damage in Louisiana, can this scary phenomenon happen in the UK?

Recirculated air has its pitfalls

Incidentally, you should also switch off the recirculated air from time to time when driving through tunnels for long periods and with the air conditioning switched on. Otherwise, no fresh, oxygen-enriched air will enter the vehicle interior. This leads to tiredness and a lack of concentration and, in the worst case, even to the dreaded microsleep!

Read more: Study reveals you should never listen to this song while driving

This article has been translated from Gentside DE.

Sources used:

Heute.at: Diesen Knopf solltest du im Winter im Auto nicht drücken

Stuttgarter-nachrichten.de: Umluft im Auto richtig nutzen