A broken or cracked windshield can make your car dangerous for your children. If your kids still sit in the back seat, they are vulnerable to impact or collision if your side auto glass or rear windshield is damaged.
Only 1 Auto Glass can make your car safe again with an auto glass repair or a windshield replacement. To schedule a repair, contact our service center today.
The Effects of a Collision on a Damaged Windshield
Every chip, crack, or break makes the auto glass in your automobile weaker. A full windshield is designed to withstand high levels of impact since the glass is laminated to help it stay intact during a collision.
Cracks and breaks can compromise the glass’ structural integrity, making it easier for an object to fly through the window. It doesn’t matter which window in the car is cracked; no seat in the car is safe for you or your children when you drive with damaged auto glass.
Driving with a damaged windshield can also put you, the driver, at risk for serious injury in the event your airbags deploy during a collision.
When your windshield is compromised, the pressure of an airbag deployment could force the windshield to break outward. If that occurs, the airbag will also deploy partially through the damaged glass rather than completely inside the vehicle.
When an airbag doesn’t deploy according to its design, it cannot provide the level of protection necessary to prevent you from sustaining injuries in a crash.
Car Seats Will Not Protect Your Children From Glass
If you have infants and/or toddlers, keep them in car seats at all times. You should always place car seats in the rear to avoid a frontal impact.
Car seats, however, elevate your children to window level. Therefore, if you have a broken or chipped side window, any object that projects through the window can injure your child. Your safest option is to bring your car to Only 1 Auto glass for auto glass replacement. We can secure your vehicle and make it kid-safe.
A Damaged Windshield Transfers Impact to Passengers
All of the various components of your vehicle are carefully and intentionally designed to work together to keep you protected on the road. When one of them becomes compromised – especially one that provides some of your vehicle’s structural support (the windshield) – that comprehensive, protective design becomes compromised, too.
When your windshield is intact, it helps absorb some of the impact that transfers to your vehicle during a collision. But when the glass has chips or cracks, they weaken its design, making it incapable of absorbing impact effectively.
Ultimately, more of the impact transfers into the vehicle itself, and, by extension, to the driver and passengers inside.
Your Insurance Will Cover Your Windshield Replacement
If you’re driving around with a damaged windshield because you can’t afford an auto glass repair, contact your insurance company and schedule a visit to our service center.
Insurance companies in Minnesota will pay for windshield or side window replacement without increasing your premiums. If you have a comprehensive policy and opted for no-deductible glass coverage, you won’t pay a dime for the replacement, since your insurer is required to pay for it in full.
If you do have a deductible on your policy, you’ll need to pay that first, and then your insurance will kick in and cover the rest. Keep in mind that if the damage to your auto glass was your fault or caused by an “act of God,” your insurance will only cover the replacement if you have comprehensive coverage.
If, however, the damage was caused by another driver or even another person, and you have it on record that the damage wasn’t your fault, the other person’s insurance may pay for your replacement.
To learn more about using auto insurance for glass repair or replacement, check out our blog, What Every Driver Should Know About Insurance Claims for Auto Glass Repairs.
Reliable Auto Glass Repair Near Minneapolis
When you want premier service and high-end work on your vehicle, visit Only 1 Auto Glass. We offer affordable rates and fast, friendly service.
Whether you need a few scratches buffed out or need us to pull out the old windshield and replace it with a new glass, we can handle all jobs on trucks, SUVs, and cars. We also offer remote service. If you are in the Twin Cities area, our mobile auto glass repair experts can come to you!
To schedule a repair or get a service estimate, call us at 651-789-1111, contact us online, or request a free estimate, and we’ll get in touch!