Any imperfection or dent in your vehicle can be a sight for sore eyes. This is especially an irritant if it is on your windshield. It is like right there floating in front of your eyes taunting you. Being unsightly however is just the tip of it, even to be considered as insignificant. When you drive around with a cracked windshield, no matter how small it may be, you endanger yourself, your passengers, and other people on the road. It is very important to remember that the windshield of the car is not just there to protect you from wind, rain or debris. The windshield is part of the cars structural integrity engineering. It actually is part of the structure that holds up the roof of the car. This is why it is imperative that any windshield replacement or repair be done by experts and professionals. Read on and look at the enumeration below as to why the windshield is a very important factor in car safety.
It Offers Protection From the Elements
The windshield primarily offers protection to the passengers and driver from the elements. Rain, sleet, or snow and even wind gusts can be prevented from coming into the car by the windshield. The car windshield protects the occupants from any loose debris that might be on the road at any given time. This debris maybe fine dust, larger particles or other items were thrown about from other vehicles and disturbed while other vehicles drive through them. As you drive the windshield is your only protection against these elements.
Maintains Your View Of The Road Ahead
A clear vision of the road ahead is very important as it will not only prevent accidents but will get you to where you are going in safety. A cracked or chipped windshield may become a distraction and make it difficult to see oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and obstacles on the road.
Uphold Structural Integrity
A cars engineering made it so that the windshield is part of the structure that keeps the whole of the car together. Such is the interconnectedness that if one fails the entire structure may fail entirely, that is why it is very important to ensure that either one of these structures holding the car together remain sound and only serviced by professionals.
You May Be Cited For Driving With A Cracked Screen
It is actually not entirely legal to be driving around with a cracked screen. For obvious safety reasons, it is against the law to drive with anything that obstructs your driving view. This is all the more reason to have this crack in the windshield be repaired as soon as possible. Furthermore, cracks tend to rapidly go larger the more pressure is exerted on it, it could just be a hairline crack in the morning but as you drive around, you will notice that it could’ve traveled and spread quite a bit by the afternoon.
To Conclude
It is always a good idea to repair minor troubles in your car as soon as you notice them in order prevent them from turning into something major in the long run. Prevention is always best when it comes to car maintenance.