How To Avoid Breaking Your Windshield
Replacing broken windshields is getting expensive. Especially if you have:
- A Tesla
- An exotic / high-performance car
- A newer car
Tesla windshields have always been pricey. The same goes for rare, exotic and high-performance vehicles. But a lot of people don’t realize that newer cars have more expensive windshield because of all the new technology incorporated into them. Things like lane assist and heads up displays have increased the price of windshield replacement substantially.
Now’s The Time To Learn How To Avoid Breaking Your Windshield
With inflation and supply chain issues, you really want to be careful about HOW you drive these days. This will save you thousands of dollars a year, not to mention your valuable time. Let’s get into it!
1. Avoid Driving Behind Gravel-Hauling Trucks
If you notice a gravel hauling truck or a semi-truck with an uncovered trailer, you might want to either change lanes, or position yourself so you’re not directly behind it. Make your lane changes slow and careful and be sure to look over your shoulder when changing lanes.
Gravel-hauling trucks notoriously spew gravel and small rocks on highways, causing windshield damage. It’s also very difficult / near impossible to accuse these trucks of doing damage to your vehicle. So the chances are you getting them to pay for your new windshield are slim to none.
2. Avoid Driving Fast
Not only is driving fast dangerous and a great way to get into a serious accident (which can obviously break your windshield), but traveling at higher speeds means you’re driving into flying debris at a higher velocity. That means the impact force on your windshield is greater, increasing the chance of cracks and chips.
3. Keep Your Distance From Other Vehicles When Off-Roading
If you like to off road your vehicle with others, then there’s a chance a rock will get kicked up and will hit your windshield. Off-roading in general is probably not an activity that will break windshields. It’s just when you follow your friends a bit too closely on an off road trail that a rock can shoot off right into your windshield.
4. Look Out For Pine Cones
We love talking about this scenario because no one ever thinks about this potential danger. It’s also kind of a California-specific event.
Some of our customers go camping in the California national parks and forests. And some of those locations have the world’s largest and tallest trees. If you park under these trees, there’s a chance that a big pine cone can fall and crack your windshield. It’s very rare for this to happen, but it can happen. We suspect that it’s rarely from a pine cone that has opened up, but rather a solid, dense pine cone that may have been chewed off a limb by a squirrel or other animal.
5. Don’t Engage In Road Rage
Ah yes! Good old testosterone and caffeine-fueled road rage! There’s always that chance that someone you’ve upset on the road decides to throw a bottle, cup or other objects at your windshield in a fury of road rage. It can also be when the two parties stop to confront each other and one party decides to bash in the windshield of the other.
We don’t have to go into much detail here. Keep your cool on the road. IT’S NEVER WORTH GETTING INTO A FIT OF ROAD RAGE.
6. Be Careful Of Construction Sites
If you work in construction, then you already know that construction sites are rife with boo-boos and dangers. Whether it’s a truck full of rebar backing up into your vehicle or god forbid a wrecking ball falling on your windshield – there are plenty of things that can happen on site. You just might want to park your car on the street or down the block to avoid any of these hazards.
7. The Angry Ex
Similar to road rage, it’s best to not make people upset or fuel altercations with others. Including any ex-spouses or partners. For whatever reason, angry people tend to always aim for windshields!
8. Driving in or Through Arizona
There’s just more windshield damage in this state. If you’re traveling to Arizona for the weekend or vacation, beware. There’s a lot more gravel-hauling trucks, rocky roads, and unpaved roads than in California. All of these factors contribute to an increased chance of windshield damage.
Drive Safe!
If there’s one thing you can take away from this article, it’s to drive safely. You’ll save on gas, general wear and tear and you’ll avoid getting into life-threatening accidents. You may even avoid cracking your windshield!
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