Sometimes it seems like the world is out to get our windscreen. Windscreen damage is very common and very inconvenient. What are the main culprits that cause windscreen chips and cracks?

Rocks and debris on the road are windscreen-harming projectiles. We all cringe and hope for the best as we approach an area of unsealed road at speed (usually accompanied by an oncoming truck or two). There’s not much you can do to avoid stones and pebbles thrown up by other cars; but keeping a good distance between other vehicles and reducing your speed may help.

Mother nature also loves to throw us some curveballs in the form of hailstones and thunderstorms. Tree branches and windblown debris love to collide with our windscreens. Utilise a garage or undercover parking wherever you can and try to avoid driving in poor weather events.

Sudden temperature changes. Extreme heat or cold can cause windscreen glass to expand or contract. Cracks may occur if you leave the car in the sun on a stinking hot day, then blast your aircon. Also, icy windscreens don’t like being defrosted with boiling water.

Stress cracks might appear if your windscreen is suffering a structural weakness in the glass. This could be caused by incorrect installation or even poor glass quality. Stress cracks will usually first appear around the edges.

Collisions. Whether it be another vehicle, animals on the road, birds, or the dreaded car thief with a brick colliding with our beloved windscreen, cracks and chips can occur quickly, and easily, jeopardising our safety.
Do you need to repair a chip before it turns into a crack?

It’s all too common for people to keep driving with a small chip in their windscreen. A tiny chip out of your line of sight isn’t too dangerous is it? Unfortunately, it is. Once your windscreen integrity has been compromised, even in the smallest way, your windscreen is no longer efficiently protecting you. Chips will worsen over time, the longer they are left, the more expensive it will become to repair them. It’s common for a chip to progress to a significant crack, which would require a windscreen replacement rather than a simple repair.
Repairing chips in your windscreen as quickly as possible can save you a lot of money.