Not Another Crack! How To Avoid Windshield Damage

If you own a car, it's just a matter of time before something happens to your windshield. While some windshield damage is unavoidable, other damage is completely avoidable, especially if you're paying attention. Here are some simple strategies that will help you avoid windshield damage.

Watch the Vehicles in Front of You

If you spend enough time on the road, you can usually tell which vehicles, or situations, have the greatest potential of inflicting windshield damage on your car. To prevent the damage, it's important that you watch for those particular vehicles and situations. If you encounter the following scenarios, you should switch lanes as soon as it's safe to do so.

Big Truck Tires

Semi-trucks pose the biggest threat to your windshield. That's because they have over-sized tires that can fling very large rocks towards your windshield. If you're behind a big rig, try to change lanes.

Mud Flaps on Any Vehicle

Mud flaps are notorious for causing windshield damage, regardless of the size of vehicle they're on. The reason is because they lay very close to the road, and can brush rocks and other debris up into your windshield. Like trucks, if you find yourself behind a vehicle with mudflaps, switch lanes.

Gravel Roads

Gravel roads can also pose a risk, even if you're not traveling on them. If you're on the road, and a vehicles pulls out in front of you from a gravel road, switch lanes as soon as it's safe to do so. They could bring gravel onto the road with them that could fly up and hit your windshield.

Keep a Safe Distance

Of course, it isn't just truck tires, mud flaps, and gravel roads that can damage your windshield. Rocks, gravel, and road debris can also be propelled into the air by ordinary passenger vehicles, as well. To avoid windshield damage caused by those types of vehicles, it's important that you always keep at least one car distance between you and the car in front of you. It's important to remember that your car can cause windshield damage too. To prevent that, you should slow down whenever you're traveling on gravel roads, or in areas that contain large amounts of road debris.

Don't Wait on the Repairs

Even with the best precautions, accidental windshield damage can still occur. When it does, it's important to get it repaired immediately. Waiting too long can cause minor cracks to turn into major windshield damage. With quick action, minor chips and cracks can be repaired to prevent further damage.

For more information, contact companies like City Wide Auto Glass.