Is Fixing My Broken Windshield a Priority?
Whether you have a small ding or a large crack on your car’s windshield, you may wonder if fixing it is really a priority. But while you might consider damage to your windshield just annoying and unsightly, the damage can have negative consequences that might not be obvious to you.
If you have postponed repairing or replacing your windshield, check out these facts that you should know about windshield damage, replacement, and repair.
Windshield Damage Can Affect Your View
A clean, clear windshield is important for ensuring you can properly see. Dirt, debris, and damage such as cracks and chips can affect how well you see, increasing the risk of your causing or being unable to avoid an accident. In most cases, if the damage is anywhere the wipers can touch, the crack or chip impairs your view. This area should be free from anything that can affect your vision.
In some states, such as Georgia, driving with extensive damage, such as cracks or chips that are larger than 3/4 inches, in the viewing area is illegal. Even if a state has no set regulations, if an officer believes the damage hinders your ability to drive safely, the officer may still pull you over.
Damage Weakens the Windshield
While you might think that windshields aren’t that strong because they are made of glass, windshields actually help add structural integrity to your vehicle. Instead of normal glass, windshields have tempered glass, and resin holds the tempered glass together to prevent glass from flying if the windshield shatters.
However, even small chips and cracks compromise the strength of your windshield, which can affect the structural integrity of your entire car. In a head-on collision, your windshield normally provides about 45 percent of the vehicle’s structural integrity. If weakened from damage, the windshield could fail, increasing the risk of further damage to the car or the passengers.
The windshield is also important if your car rolls. When the car rolls, the heavy weight can easily cause the roof to crush, which drastically endangers the people inside the vehicle. The windshield helps support this weight, but a damaged one is more likely to get crushed.
Your Insurance May Cover the Cost of Repairs
If you do have damage, you may be able to repair it, which can save you money in the long run. Repair techs can simply inject resin into the ding or crack. The resin spreads to refill the damage.
Repairing or replacing your windshield is not hard, especially with mobile solutions. However, most people still put off fixing a small crack or ding because of the cost. But even getting a new windshield is not often that expensive.
However, while your insurance company may happily cover the cost of a damaged windshield, you may have to pay the deductible first if you have not met it yet. So even though your insurance covers the repair or replacement, you still pay for the entire repair because of your deductible.
Luckily, many states require insurance carriers to waive your deductible for a windshield repair or replacement. Therefore, regardless of how much of your deductible you have left, you may be able to fix your windshield at no extra cost.
Windshield damage is common, but you should not ignore it. The damage may not only be illegal because it affects how well you see while driving but also can increase the risk of damage and injury in the event of an accident.
For more information about windshield repair and replacement, call the team at Downtown Garage & Auto Body. We offer mobile windshield services for your convenience.
