Windshield wipers of a car were invented by Mary Anderson on a trip in New York City in 1903. While touring the city on a streetcar, Mary was not interested in the views on the streets. __46__ Repeatedly, the motorman had to get out of the streetcar to wipe off the snow and ice collected on the windshield. New York streetcar motormen at that time had tried various ways to solve this problem. __47__ Mary, sitting on her seat, quickly drew her device in her sketchbook. __48__ Mary’s device allowed the motorman to use a lever inside the streetcar to activate a swinging arm on the windshield to wipe off the snow and ice. Because the device was first designed for cold weather, it could be easily removed when warmer weather arrived. __49__ Even though her friends teased her about her awkward invention attached to a streetcar, Mary didn’t give in to peer pressure. __50__ By 1913, her invention became standard equipment on American cars. Windshield wipers save lives and make it easier to drive through storms.
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