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If you’re a driver in Arkansas, you’re going to want to make sure that your vehicle meets all of the state’s necessary safety and legal requirements before you’re ready to hit the road. The state requires that many different standards are met before a vehicle can be deemed street legal, but perhaps one of the most overlooked safety features is windshield condition. Many drivers have cracked, chipped or otherwise damaged windshields. This is not only dangerous for the driver and others on the road, but it can even be against the law. To make sure that your vehicle’s windshield meets all of Arkansas’s legal requirements, please refer to the list provided below:

All windshields must be constructed with safety glass

Not all glass is the same. The law requires that all vehicles use a special type of glass known as safety glass. Safety glass is formulated and designed with strength and safety in mind. The glass is held to a higher quality standard than ordinary glass, making it more durable. Safety glass is also designed to pose less of a threat when broken. When ordinary glass shatters, it has a tendency to break into large sharp pieces that would be incredibly dangerous during a collision. On the other hand, safety glass breaks into smaller pieces that are not as sharp and certainly not as dangerous as ordinary glass.

 

Windshield Tints

 

Most windows on the road are tinted to some degree. However, not all tinting is the same and there are certain laws in place to regulate just how tinted your vehicle’s windshields can be. The only tint allowed on the front windshield of your vehicle is non-reflective tint. The tint must also not extend past five inches from the top of the windshield. Mirrored and reflective tint is not allowed to be used on any window on the vehicle. Any vehicle that does have aftermarket tint must have a sticker certifying the company that installed the tint placed on its drivers side window so that authorities can ensure the tint meets the legal requirements.

Rules regarding windshield cracks and chips

 

 

Cracking and chipping are perhaps the most common reasons for a windshield to be deemed unsafe. It seems obvious that a visible crack or chip in a windshield could cause serious problems. Firstly, major cracks are indicative that the structural integrity of your windshield has been compromised (cracks in your windshield cannot be intersected by other cracks). This could make your windshield more susceptible to cracking in the future. Or in the worst cases, a major crack could leave your windshield just one rock away from shattering completely. Even without considering your windshields structural integrity, cracks and chips could seriously obstruct your view of the road. This is problematic for obvious reasons, but it could be unlawful if the obstructions are bad enough. 

For more information, or to schedule a windshield repair or replacement, contact us at Fast Glass today!