What happens if you get a cracked windshield? Depending on the severity of the windshield crack, you may decide that a windshield repair can wait. However, driving with a cracked windshield can cause bigger problems. These problems grow the more you put off the windshield repair.
From legal concerns to growing cracks, there are some things you should know about driving with a cracked windshield.
A windshield crack will grow.
A small chip in your windshield does not warrant a windshield replacement. Often, a small chip can be filled with an adhesive to seal it. This repair is usually a less expensive service.
However, many drivers do not address the small chip. Then what started as something small, has now made its way across the windshield. The larger the crack, the less likely it can be fixed with an adhesive. What could have been a repair has become a replacement in a matter of weeks?
Driving with an obstructed view is against the law.
Depending on location, a windshield crack can obstruct your view of the road, creating a potentially dangerous situation. You could get a warning or a ticket.
How do windshield cracks get this bad? It might be difficult to see yourself driving with an obstructed view. Of course, you’d notice and get it fixed, right?
This crack spreads slowly. So slowly, you may adapt your driving vision over time and not realize how obstructed your view has become.
If you’ve got a chip or crack on the driver’s side of your windshield, see a pro!
A crack could compromise your windshield’s ability to function properly in the event of a crash.
In the event of a crash, your windshield is designed to keep you and your passengers safe.
How? Windshields support the structure of your vehicle. In most vehicles, they are a strong component in supporting the front end of the frame. This is essential to keeping the car from collapsing on passengers in the event of an accident.
Windshields are also shatter-proof. Their design includes a vinyl layer that works as an adhesive when the glass is bent beyond what it can stand. The vinyl holds the pieces together to help prevent it from sendings glass shards flying in all directions.
Windshields also play a role in the effectiveness of airbags. When an impact is strong enough for the airbag to deploy, it goes upward, hits the windshield, and then outward. A cracked windshield can be shattered on impact, causing the airbag to deploy upward instead.
At first thought, a windshield crack can seem like nothing more than cosmetic damage to your vehicle. In reality, it can cause a string of problems if it is ignored.
Get your windshield back to full strength. A member of the Fast Glass Service team will assess the damage and determine if your windshield can be repaired, or if it needs to be fully replaced.
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