You’re never prepared for that pebble that seemingly comes out of nowhere to land smack dab in the middle of your windshield, leaving a nice big crack - but it happens…often. It may be easier to ignore it, but by doing so, you’re taking a risk on your safety and your wallet. Fixing a crack or chip now can save you the hassle and cost of replacing the entire windshield later. Driving with a cracked windshield is not only dangerous to the driver, but it also presents a hazard to others on the road. Here’s why:
Impaired Vision
The most common danger of driving with a cracked windshield is a decreased field of vision. During daytime driving, the driver’s vision can be reduced if a crack lines up with their line of sight. During nighttime driving, it can be even worse. Broken glass can create prisms that, when hit by headlights or streetlights, can temporarily blind the driver, and cause an accident. It can even affect drivers in other cars if the reflection from prism-distorted light bounces into their fields of vision.
Compromised Structural Integrity
The windshield is highly important to the structural integrity of a vehicle’s cabin. During a front-end collision, the windshield provides up to 45% of the cabin’s structural integrity. During a rollover accident that statistic goes up to 60%. To benefit from this fundamental support, your windshield must be installed correctly and be free of damage.
Damaged Safety Glass
Windshields are made with two layers of glass laminated together. They’re designed this way to help keep you safe in the event of a collision. If something causes one layer to crack or break, the laminate and inner layer of glass keep the windshield together. As a result, in the event of broken glass, it won’t enter the vehicle or shatter all over the road. Once that first layer is broken, the second layer is exposed. That means nothing is standing between a hazard and the people inside.
Safety glass is also designed to keep passengers inside the vehicle who aren’t wearing seat belts, safer in case of a crash. If the safety glass is damaged, it greatly increases the possibility that passengers who aren’t buckled up will go through the front windshield during a front-end collision.
Repair Cracks ASAP
Once a windshield has a few cracks or chips, the entire structure is weakened. Moisture, bumps in the road, and temperature changes worsen the damage. Factors like these cause the glass to expand and contract, stressing the weakened glass. This is why it’s imperative that you get your cracked windshield fixed ASAP. We’re always here to help.
Why Choose Us?
Glass America combines the highest quality materials and workmanship with fast, efficient, SAFE service. Whether it's free mobile service dispatched to your home or business, or an appointment scheduled for one of our drive-in service locations, our experienced customer service reps will schedule the work at your earliest convenience. Our certified technicians use the highest quality adhesives to get you safely back on the road in one hour in almost any weather condition. Contact us today for an instant quote or to schedule your appointment.