What Causes Cracks or Chips on Windscreen ?

Windscreen cracking is a frustrating problem to deal with, yet it happens continuously. Windscreens fracture for various reasons, but they can sometimes appear to crack out of nowhere. So, how do windscreens fracture in the first place?

Chips Ignored or overlooked chips are one of the most common causes of windscreen cracks. While not all chips result in cracks, a significant number of them do.

Any form of damage to your windscreen weakens it, so anything from the pressure of driving at high speeds to the slight contraction and expansion of the glass in different temperatures can cause a chip to turn into a full-fledged crack.

Once you notice a windscreen crack,  It's a good idea to get a chip repaired even if it might be visible - this is normally done by injecting glue into the chip and smoothing it out. It's inexpensive, and it'll save you the trouble of having to replace your entire windscreen if things worsen and enhances the driver's ability on the road.

Debris on the road

Road debris is another typical cause of cracked windscreens. This is mostly a  small crack caused by small stones, rocks, pebbles, and other materials that other moving cars throw onto your windscreen.

Even while most road debris that impacts your windscreen is small in size, it collides with a huge force that can shatter your entire glass, especially if it hits a vulnerable place like a chip.

Stones and pebbles aren't the only things that might slam into your windscreen while driving. In addition, windscreens are frequently shattered by badly laden things dropping from other vehicles, which is another reason to avoid overtaking lorries and other vehicles!

Temperature and weather

Your windscreen might be affected by the weather in a variety of ways. Stormy, windy weather, for example, can put a strain on any weak places or chips in your windscreen, as well as cause branches and debris to collide with it, potentially causing cracks.

On the other hand, leaving your automobile in direct sunlight on a particularly hot day can be hazardous. This is akin to defrosting your windscreen with boiling water or abruptly blasting the air conditioning when your car is extremely hot — it's not good for the windscreen.

Repairs or installations of poor quality car's windscreen

While this fact is self-evident, it's astonishing how widespread this problem is. When getting a windscreen replaced, make sure you go to a regulated and skilled technician since if the windscreen isn't installed properly, it'll crack or shatter.

Windscreens are large, heavy pieces of glass; thus, they must be adequately supported to resist minor road debris strikes and the pressure of driving at high speeds.

Similarly, if you replace your windscreen with a lower-quality one, it will not be able to resist the same conditions as the original. This can be quite dangerous, as both conditions can result in not only a fracture but also a significant shatter that occurs without warning – which could be particularly disastrous if you have passengers or are driving at high speed.

Accidents

In a collision, your windscreen plays a crucial function. When the passenger airbag is activated, it rises and bounces off the windscreen, ensuring that your passenger's head does not collide with it.

If it's cracked, it won't be able to survive the shock of the airbag – which deploys at roughly 150 mph – and would likely shatter, leaving your passenger with no safety (and possibly an additional risk) in the event of a collision.

If your automobile rolled over due to a collision or accident, your windscreen provides more than half of the strength needed to keep the roof from collapsing. But, again, if you have an accident with a broken windscreen, it's possible that it can shatter, making the scenario much more deadly by causing the roof to cave in.