It’s not safe at all to ignore a cracked windshield; much less to drive with it. Here’s why cracked windshields deserve to be checked immediately by your local Castle Rock auto glass servicer:
Visual impairment. A cracked windshield can substantially obstruct the driver’s view. Crack size or its position on the glass, or whichever glass in the car it is found, doesn’t matter at all. Cracks on the passenger’s side, for instance, can make it difficult to scan for pedestrians or other potential hazards along the way.
Run-ins with the law. It’s better not to risk the law by neglecting to address the crack in your windshield or windows. Driving on the freeway with a broken windshield, for example, can get a highway patrol officer on your tail. You will be issued a violation ticket for operating an unsafe vehicle, with fines racking up to $250.
Weakened support structures. In a lot of vehicles, such as in Ford trucks, the windshield doubles as a critical component of the support structure. Cracked windshields can significantly compromise a car’s structural integrity in a crash, or even against strong wind velocity while driving.
Airbags. In the event of a crash, rapidly deploying airbags can cause shards of broken glass to fly around and severely injure everyone in the car. Front airbags specifically expand with enough force to pop the cracked windshield out.
Regardless of the size of the fissure, avoid any of the above circumstances by having your damaged windshield serviced immediately by a Castle Rock, CO windshield replacement company, such as Michael’s Auto Body. As with most things, prevention is better than cure.
(Source: Does a Crack in the Windshield need Immediate Attention? ClickOnDetroit.com, April 9, 2014)