Windshield carries some vital functions in your car. First of all, it protects you and your passengers from, dust, debris, insects, and anything else that can fly directly in your face while driving. And, yes, the wind. Also, the windshield is a critical structural element that provides support for the vehicle`s body.
However, the windshield is on the forefront while you are driving and therefore gets its fair amount of impact from elements, debris, and anything else that may fly your way on the road. Therefore, you may sometimes notice small cracks and chips on your windshield and other auto glass.
Most car owners don`t pay a lot of attention to windshield damage unless it really distracts them while driving or affects the car`s look.
But Canada has several laws against driving with a damaged windshield. Depending on several factors you may expect to get a notice, a ticket, or an order to repair from an officer that catches you driving with a crack on your auto glass. In some cases, you may end up with an order to remove the vehicle from the road.
All those regulations mainly focus on the damage that affects visibility. However, some seemingly minor cracks and chips on the windshield can also get you in trouble.
In this article, we shall talk about the 5 types of auto glass damage which are too dangerous or expensive to ignore.
Windshield Edge Crack
Edge cracks, aka the damage located within 2 inches from the edge of a windshield are particularly dangerous for 2 reasons.
First of all, they are not in sight of the driver and therefore usually remain unnoticed for far too long. Also, edge cracks can easily grow into severe 10-12-inch damage from just a minor pressure on your windshield.
These cracks usually appear due to excessive pressure around the perimeter of your windshield. It may be a result of an auto frame`s damage due to an accident or any impact. This excessive pressure may also appear due to poor quality of the windshield replacement service or the auto glass itself. That is why it is vital to assess the damage to the vehicle thoroughly after any accident and address qualified and trustworthy mechanics only.
As soon as you notice an edge crack, you should head directly to the auto glass shop. If the damage is smaller than 6 inches, a regular repair will be enough. If the crack managed to grow bigger, you may need a full windshield replacement.
Windshield Start Break
When a small impact point “grows” tentacle-like cracks in all directions, this kind of damage is called Star break.
They usually appear on a windshield after a hail or may be caused by a small pebble that flies into your windshield on the road.
Star cracks are dangerous not only because they grow into massive damage easily, but also due to the fact that even a small 1-inch break can still be a safety hazard after a repair if it is located within the driver`s line of sight. That is why in many cases you will be advised to replace the windshield when these star breaks appear.
Windshield Dartboard Cracks
Also called Bull’s eye cracks”, this damage has a distinctive impact point from an object that flew at your windshield and cracks that spread in all directions around that point.
Dartboard cracks are dangerous not only because they grow pretty fact like most windshield damage, but also because they accumulate dirt and debris that grows into the cracks making it extremely hard to fix without a trace.
That is why you should address the auto body shop immediately after noticing such damage.
Windshield Floater crack
These cracks are similar to edge cracks, but they appear anywhere on the surface of the windshield further than 2 inches from its edge.
Floater cracks often appear because of temperature swings. So, you are most likely to notice one of those during seasons when the temperature may differ dramatically during the day and night.
Temperature swings and elements are usually the main reason for floater cracks to grow pretty easily. That is why you should address the auto glass shop as soon as possible. Like with most windshield damage, you will have to replace it entirely once the crack grows more than 6 inches.
Windshield Combination crack
Sometimes you get “lucky” to find 2 types of cracks on your windshield. For example, a star break may grow a particularly long crack in one direction or get all the way to the edge. This situation is called a combination crack and requires immediate professional attention due to its complexity.
No matter how big and serious the windshield damage seems to be, it is always best to address a professional than deal with the consequences of neglect and irrelevant treatment of the crack. Here at Auto glass depot, we guarantee that your car will be treated by qualified professionals using OEM parts and certified technologies. In case you need an urgent repair located in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, feel free to use our 24/7 mobile service. Our experts will make sure that every crack and chip is fixed on time, and that you drive a safe vehicle.