A crack in your car’s windshield is not uncommon, but repairing it is important. The reasons for repairing the glass are not all safety-related, but depending on where the crack in the glass is, the crack could be a safety issue. Many times these cracks can be unsightly and over time they may grow, so getting the crack taken care of as soon as you can is the best option.
Here are four important aspects of windshield damage and repair to understand.
1. Safety and Visibility
Cracks in the windshield of your car, truck, or SUV can create some problems that you may not consider at first. The location of the crack in the windshield plays a large role in your ability to see clearly through the windshield. If the crack in the glass is in the driver’s vision, it can cause things to look distorted and at night the lights outside the car may hit the cracks and create strange and distracting patterns.
The strength of the glass is also something you need to consider. While the laminated safety glass that makes up the windshield is unlikely to shatter from a small chip but if some form of debris hits the windshield, the weakened glass may break easier and the windshield could fail. The same is true if the car is involved in an accident because the structure of the glass is already weaker than if the glass is intact.
2. Size and Location of the Chip
If you have a chip in the windshield, the size of the chip and the location of it are important factors in how soon you need to repair the windshield. A tiny stone chip on the passenger’s side of the car may not be an issue at all. It doesn’t affect the driver’s view and if it is very small, it may not even fully penetrate the glass.
In contrast, if the same chip is in a corner or in the middle of the driver’s view, it may present a problem. If the chip begins to crack further or spread across the glass, it is an indication that the windshield is structurally unstable and you need to take the car to a glass shop for repair or replacement of the windshield.
3. Legal Concerns
In most areas, the police will not bother to stop you for a small chip in the glass on your windshield but a spider crack or a long crack running across the driver’s view will attract their attention and could result in a citation for driving with a broken windshield. The cost of replacing the windshield could be cheaper than the cost of the citation you get for not replacing it and if the crack is small and repair is possible, it will be far less expensive to repair it.
Not every police officer will cite a driver for a crack in the windshield, and the law regarding this varies by state, but if the is large enough for them to see as they drive by you, the crack is large enough that repair is essential.
4. Mobile Repair
The convenience of mobile windshield repair is important to people with busy lives or long workdays. Glass companies that can come to you and repair the glass while you are at home or work saves a lot of time and, in most cases, the cost is no more expensive than a standard repair if you took the car to the glass shop.
At Aaron Auto Glass, we can repair your cracked or broken windshield quickly and professionally. We offer mobile service so you can get the work done without interrupting your day, and we can help you submit your bill to your insurance company if you would like. Give us a call to set up and appointment for your chip, crack, or broken glass repair today.