Even something as minor as a hairline-cracked windshield can lead to a potentially deadly scenario on the road. Major cracks are even worse. They put you and your passengers at serious risk every time you get behind the wheel.

Unchecked glass cracks can also cost you a lot of money in the long run. The cracks have a tendency to get worse over time, so if you don’t repair them right away, you may wind up spending more money replacing the entire sheet of glass. A damaged windshield can also earn you costly traffic tickets.

Keep your car safe, save money, and avoid tickets by taking care of your damaged windows immediately.

Cracks Are Dangerous

Even if the crack in your windshield is relatively small, it can create a minor blind spot in front of you. Cracks in your side and rear windows are the same: they can create blind spots and make it very dangerous to change lanes.

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Thirty percent of all auto insurance claims in the United States happen because of broken windshields. Vehicle safety relies on a complete and undamaged windshield for protection during an accident and also so the driver has an unobstructed view. While preventing every broken windshield is likely impossible, drivers can take steps to reduce the chance of a chip or crack.

1. Stay Away From Loaded Trucks

Construction vehicles are often a source of trouble for all vehicle owners driving behind them. Any truck with a load of dirt or gravel puts the vehicles behind them at risk. Of course, work trucks carry not only gravel but also tools, equipment, and many other items that can easily slip out of an unsecured truck bed.
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Sudden storms present a real danger when you’re driving, particularly for your windshield. Unfortunately, many storm factors may cause chips and cracks, which can be dangerous. For example, studies have found that windshields provide up to 30 percent of your vehicle’s structural strength, so a compromise here could be a problem if you don’t get them fixed.

Hail and Ice May Create Chips

Rain, no matter how hard it falls, is not likely to chip or crack your windshield. Water doesn’t have that kind of weight or density. However, frozen water — such as hail or even ice chunks — could easily cause a chip. Though the risk of a crack forming from nothing isn’t too high, a chip from a hailstone could quickly turn into cracks if struck by another hailstone.

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