The Dangers of Damaged Windshield That Everyone Should Know

From blizzards and hailstorms to road debris and stones, your windshield in car can incur damage due to any outside element. A damaged windshield not only mars the look of your precious car but can also put your and your fellow passengers’ lives at the stake.

Hazards of Driving Around With a Damaged Windshield

A damaged windshield in car has the full potential to compromise the safety of your car.

Obstruction of Vision

If a chip or a crack is directly in your line of vision, then it can hinder your driving, especially during rough weather or in low light. This doubles your risk of getting into a major road pile-up or collision. Moreover, a damaged windshield in car also is a continuous source of distraction. A cracked or chipped windshield also tends to reflect sunlight and can cause glare or flashes of light that can momentarily blind you. This can easily put you and the occupants in your car in grave danger.

Compromised Structural Integrity

One of the most vital jobs that a windshield in car does is that it provides structural integrity. But a damaged windshield will be unable to provide your car with the structural support that it needs. As a result of this, if you get caught in a rollover, the damaged windshield will not be able to support the car roof, and the roof will cave in and collapse, causing fatal injuries. As the windshield in car accounts for a considerable percentage of your vehicle’s structural integrity, you should keep it in untarnished condition.

Failed Airbag Deployment

The windshield in car also helps in the proper deployment of airbags. It acts as the backstop for the airbag to inflate towards you or your fellow passenger. If the windshield in car is already damaged, it will lead to a failed airbag deployment and, thereby, will be unable to provide any level of protection to the occupants of the car.

Shattering Glass

Windshields in cars are mostly made of laminated glass which is why they can hold the shattered glass together. This means that even if the windshield glass shatters, the broken shards won’t rain on you or your fellow passengers. But if the windshield is already damaged, the glass will shatter and the flying shards will cause serious, sometimes even fatal injuries.

Fatal Accidents

The windshield in car is installed to safeguard you and your fellow passengers, especially during accidents. However, a damaged windshield will be unable to bear the harsh impact in the face of a front-end collision. If you aren’t wearing a seat-belt, an accidental impact can result in you being ejected out of the car as a damaged windshield won’t be able to act as a protective shield of safety.

A damaged windshield is a direct threat to your life, which is why it shouldn’t be neglected. For your as well as others' safety, you should immediately take the corrective measures to fix it.

Types of Windshield Damage

Not all damages can be fixed by a simple repair. Some damages warrants for a windshield replacement. Here are some common damages that your windshield in car can incur.

Minor Chips

Whether a chip is repairable or not depends on the chip’s size, location, and severity. A chip damage that is restricted to the outer layer of the windshield glass can easily be repaired. Minor chips that are about 40mm or less in diameter can be repaired. When it comes to chips, always remember that minor chips, at most two, can only be repaired. Anything beyond that requires a windshield replacement. Chips are easily fixable, but if they are left unrepaired, they can become worse wherein a windshield replacement becomes the only viable option.

Irreparable Chips

A chip damage that exceeds 40mm in diameter requires a windshield replacement. Moreover, if the chip damage penetrates both the layers of your windshield glass, then also a repair job isn’t sufficient. A repair job is also not feasible if the chip damage is in the driver’s line of sight or if the windshield is littered with numerous chips. In these scenarios, a windshield replacement becomes compulsory as a repair job will leave you with a structurally-weak windshield.

Cracks

Windshield crack repair is not a wise move if the crack ends or begins at the edge of the windshield as just repairing it can compromise the integrity of the glass. A windshield crack repair is also not feasible if the polyvinyl butyral layer of the windshield has been damaged. Simply put, cracks irrespective of their size can compromise the structural integrity of your windshield glass, which is why it is best to go for a windshield replacement rather than opting for a repair.

Select the Best Professional Help

To restore your damaged windshield to its perfect health, you must always opt for professional help. A certified and trained windshield expert can assess the damage of the windshield in car and can inform you whether a replacement is required or a repair is sufficient. If you are on the lookout for professional windshield experts, then AIS Windshield Experts should be your go-to choice.

AIS Windshield Experts is a leading windshield repair and replacement company that provides ‘faster, safer, and better’ windshield solutions. Our well-trained team of experts follows all international safety norms and is equipped with industry-best equipment and high-grade materials to provide you with the best results. You can go through windshield repair and windshield replacement to know more about our services. For your satisfaction, we also offer a one-year written warranty on our workmanship and the products used. Our 90+ conveniently-located service centres and mobile vans can take up any windshield in car challenge that you throw at us! Get in touch.