It might be a bit of a stressful and frustrating situation when it happens, but rest assured that fixing a cracked windscreen can usually be pretty quick and pain-free. As you might imagine, the best thing to do when your windscreen cracks is to get it fixed of course! But first, you need to make sure that you can either safely get to a service garage to have the glass repaired, or have a mobile replacement service come to you. All of the actions you take should be done with your safety in mind at all times.
How did the crack occur?
There are all sorts of ways that you may have acquired that crack in your windscreen, and it may appear in all manner of shapes and sizes. Let’s have a look at some common ways that you could get a crack in your windscreen when you’re out driving.
Small chip when out on the roads
We encounter all sorts of debris when out driving, so it’s always possible that you could kick up a stone and have it take a chip out of your windscreen. If this happens to you, safely pull over to the side of the road to assess the damage. In the event that it’s just a small chip, you’ll normally be able to keep driving. But you should aim to have it fixed as soon as possible.
Cracked in a collision
Even the smallest of accidents can lead to a crack in your windscreen. If you’ve been in more of a major accident where the whole windscreen is smashed, contacting a roadside assistance company can help to get your car to a garage in order to be repaired. Having a car glass replacement professional attend to your problem will ensure that the damaged windscreen is replaced professionally and safely. Many businesses will also have mobile services, so you won’t have to drive if you think it’s unsafe to do so.
Bull’s eye crack
This is a common type of crack that you’ve probably seen on windscreens before. A bull’s eye crack is characterised by a circular chip with an outer circle surrounding it. These types of cracks do have the tendency to become much larger in size, particularly if you keep putting off the problem to a later date.
Despite this, many of these cracks can be repaired simply. Plus, if you have comprehensive car insurance, the company will be able to organise a suitable repair service to come and repair the crack. This is usually done by filling in the crack with a special resin which sets and secures the glass.
Call a professional
The size and location of the crack will help you determine whether or not the crack needs to be urgently fixed. Regardless of this, it’s always best to call up a professional windscreen specialist who can help talk you through the process of repairing or replacing the glass. You may be able to have the glass repaired if it’s a small little chip, but in many cases, the windscreen will need to be fully replaced. This requires the expertise of a licensed professional, so you shouldn’t attempt to fix the issue yourself.
