It's that time of year again when you fall out the door already late, ready to do battle with the morning commute, when you discover your car windscreen is totally iced over.

Your first reaction, besides cupping your face in your hands, is to pour water over the ice to melt it. But aren't you only adding more moisture for the cold to freeze into ice?

Whilst it can be tempting to avenge your lost time by boiling the kettle and chucking the scolding water over your beloved car's windscreen, this is in fact very dangerous and can lead to instant shattering.

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Thankfully, a driving expert is on hand to prevent this morning mania seeping into your winter routine.

The expert, from Driving Test Success who are the UK's leading provider of Theory Test revision materials, posted a useful video to TikTok explaining the best protocol to overcome this frustrating obstacle.

The video explains how you can clear the ice by simply turning on your windscreen fan which heats up the glass and melts the ice away.

The video says: "Frozen windscreen? Put the temperature on high. Put the front windscreen fan on max. The ice will start to melt from the heat. Wipe away excess water and return the fan to normal."

If you are a seasoned driver, you might be sitting there thinking that this is the most obvious explanation you could have been given.

However, this is not the case for many TikTok users who heaped praise on the video for opening their eyes.

One commenter said: "Wow, magic! The ice is gone." A second expressed their gratitude to the account the hack, writing: "I've learned so much thanks to your app!"

Not everyone was feeling so gracious, as one user criticised the idea, stating: "Wastes more fuel. Just get [out] and scrape it off you lazy so and so." Driving Test Success is not the first to point out the easy de-icing trick, as another video online from Clear View Driving said road users should use their demister before they start driving.

They said: "Now don't use your windscreen wipers or washers as that won't help. Turn on your front and rear demister.

"The rear demister also heats up your side mirrors in most new cars. But if the mirrors are not clear, make sure to clear them before you start driving. Then, once it's done you can use your wipers."

The AA has warned drivers to "turn on the warm air blower" and "heated mirrors" to clear frost cover quickly and safely during these icy winter mornings.

They advise: "Start the engine and turn on the warm air blower on the windscreen. Switch on the rear windscreen heater and heated mirrors, if you have them. Turn on the air-con. It's not just for summer – it'll remove moisture from the air to stop the car from misting up.

"Don't use your hands to wipe misted-up windows – you'll leave greasy smears and a diamond ring could scratch the glass. Use a lint-free absorbent cloth if necessary. Stay with your car the whole time while the engine's running."