My Windscreen Has a Chip, What Should I Do?

When driving, it is often the case that loose stones or dirt that is kicked up by vehicles in front of us can bounce off the windscreen. Usually, these don’t leave any damage, but from time to time, your windscreen may be hit with a heavier stone that might leave a chip or crack in your windscreen. But what do you do after this happens? This article will look at this situation in detail.

Windscreens offer a wide range of uses to motorists beyond protecting us from rain and wind:

• They offer another level of defence against being ejected from the vehicle, should you be involved in a particularly serious crash – if the windscreen is cracked, it is weakened, which means it is less likely to stop someone from being thrown from the vehicle
• As unlikely as it may seem, windscreens also help with the deployment of airbags. It is used as a springboard to help push the airbag towards the passenger, a function which is depleted if the windscreen is cracked.
• When a collision occurs, the vehicle’s chassis is used to dissipate the energy from the impact and help to direct it away from those within the car, minimising injury. The windscreen plays a part in this dissipation, but a cracked windscreen loses a lot of its strength, which means it can shatter and cause further harm.

Stop driving

If you notice a chip in your windscreen, it is important that you pull over in a safe place and inspect the windscreen for damage. Even if the chip is small, it can quickly turn into a large crack, which can be very dangerous as it can weaken the glass and increase the likelihood of it smashing. As well as this, they can also impair your vision which in itself can pose a serious danger to the safety of you, other road users and pedestrians around you.

Repair or replacement

Once you have noticed the problem, you need to report it to your local garage or a professional windscreen replacement company. Chips and cracks are often relatively simple to rectify, so you don’t have to worry about your car being out of action for weeks on end – however, even if there is a small wait for repair, it is much more preferable – and safer – than driving on the roads with a damaged windscreen. The smaller chips may even be repaired at roadside, so you can be safely back on the road in no time at all.

At A1 Windscreens, we are proud to provide a comprehensive windscreen repair and replacement service for a variety of vehicles. If you would like to know more, please feel free to get in touch with us today and we will be more than happy to help.