Imagine you’re in your car driving home. It’s sunny outside and the road conditions are ideal - you’re singing along with the radio, enjoying the open space ahead. Then, out of nowhere, a car makes an unexpected turn and ends up speeding towards you. You don’t have time to stop and your cars collide, the sound of metal in your ears as you brace yourself for the impact. You say a silent prayer of thanks for your vehicle’s airbags, waiting for them to deploy and hold you safely in your driver’s seat. But to your dismay and surprise, they never do.
This would have never happened if, two weeks prior when you developed a cracked windshield, you had taken it in for an auto-glass repair. At the time, you considered it a minor nuisance - ugly and inconvenient - but you never took the time to fix it because you didn’t realize that a cracked windshield is much more than just a simple aesthetic flaw. A cracked windshield is a great safety risk to you and your passengers. Damage to your windshield will affect your ability to drive and, much more dangerously, as displayed in the case above, how your vehicle responds in the event of a crash.
At Diamond Glass, we are committed to the safety of all our clients, which is why we offer high-quality, efficient auto-glass repair at competitive prices. In today’s blog, we will discuss four hidden dangers of a cracked windshield and how it can compromise the structural integrity of your entire vehicle.
Improper Airbag Deployment
From the above story, you may be wondering - what does a cracked windshield have to do with airbags? Everything. A windshield acts as a support for the airbag - when the bag deploys, it uses the windshield to push it towards the passenger. However, a cracked windshield will not have the structural strength to perform this function and the force of the airbag may cause the glass to break. In such a case, the airbag will deploy outside of the car, rather than towards you. This means that you wouldn’t have the windshield or the airbag as a barrier and your risk of injury or death will significantly increase.
View Impairment
Whether or not the crack is in the driver’s line of sight, it can lead to impaired view, putting everyone in the car at a greater risk of an accident. A cracked windshield poses a visual threat, making it difficult to see other vehicles and objects on the road. It is a dangerous distraction which can quickly spread - even if a chip seems minor, it could develop into a much more serious problem which is why efficient auto-glass repair is absolutely necessary.
Ejection from the vehicle
According to extensive research, in the event of an accident, your chances of survival are significantly higher if you remain within the car instead of being thrown from it. A cracked windshield will not be able to provide this crucial form of protection in the case of a crash and if it fails during a collision, you and your passengers could be thrown from the car, increasing your chances of being injured. That is why quick auto-glass repair is extremely important, not only for your safety, but also for the well-being of your passengers.
No roof support
In the construction of a car, a windshield acts like a support beam - one of its most important functions is to support the roof and keep it intact in the event of a rollover accident. However, a cracked windshield will not possess the structural integrity to support the roof in case of a flip, leading to severe injury and even death of the passengers. Without a structurally sound windshield, you may find the weight of the car collapsing directly onto the seating area in the event of an accident.
At Diamond Glass, we take windshield repairs very seriously and promise to have you back on the road within an hour. If you don’t have time to come to us, our onsite service allows us to reach you, wherever you are. Driving with a cracked windshield is extremely unsafe and could potentially cost you thousands of dollars. A chip isn’t just a nuisance - it could be a matter of your life.
To find out more about our auto-glass repair services, give us a call at 403.568.7086 or visit diamondglasscalgary.ca
