Following Too Close: How Driving Habits Put Your Windshield at Risk

Have a tendency to tailgate? Never heard of the three-second rule? If this sounds like you, your driving habits could be putting your windshield at risk. Following too closely is one bad driving habit you need to break if you hope to keep your vehicle (and yourself) intact. And not only does following too closely put you and your vehicle at risk, it puts other drivers in precarious positions, too. Here to discuss how your tailgating habits put your windshield at risk are the auto glass pros at Only 1 Auto Glass.

Following too closely puts your windshield at risk of dings and cracks from road debris kicked up by other vehicles. Whether it’s a few stray pebbles or small pieces of trash on the pavement, the tires on the vehicle in front of you can propel these items straight toward your windshield. At higher speeds, chips and cracks are even more probable as it becomes very difficult to swerve out of the way quickly enough to avoid small flying objects.

While it may not seem that a pothole can damage your auto glass, you might be surprised to learn that potholes are actually common culprits when it comes to cracked windshields. When you follow the vehicle in front of you too closely, it becomes difficult to recognize a pothole before you hit it. And when your tires collide with that jarring hole, the impact can do some damage.

If you have existing cracks or dings in your windshield, the force generated from your tires hitting a pothole can transfer to these weak points in your auto glass. This force then causes small cracks and chips to expand. Depending on the severity, you may be faced with a full windshield replacement. You can, however, avoid this scenario by leaving an appropriate distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. And if you do have small cracks or chips, Only 1 Auto Glass can perform a quick and easy rock chip repair to help ensure they don’t accidentally spread.

So you know following too closely is dangerous, but how can you determine what an appropriate following distance might be? To avoid an unnecessary auto glass repair or replacement, one standby method you can use is called the “three-second rule.” Here’s how to implement this guideline:

●        Choose a fixed point—it can be a landmark, road sign, or building—a few hundred feet away from the vehicle in front of you.

●        As the vehicle in front of you approaches the point you’ve chosen, get ready to start counting.

●        The moment the vehicle in front of you passes the point, begin counting seconds. Use the one-one-thousand counting method for accuracy.

●        Stop counting seconds the moment your vehicle passes the point you’ve chosen. The number of seconds that you end with is the number of seconds between you and the person in front of you. If it’s less than three, you need to slow down.

The three-second rule takes both your reaction time and the speed at which you’re traveling into account. In most cases, three seconds is the minimum amount of time required to stop your vehicle without colliding with the vehicle in front of you. On wet or icy roads, you’ll need to put even more space between you and the person in front of you. Fail to heed this rule, and a windshield replacement could be the least of your worries.

No matter how great a driver you are, there’s always a chance you’ll end your commute with a new rock chip in your windshield. When you need prompt, expert auto glass repair or replacement, our highly trained technicians at Only 1 Auto Glass are always here for you. Whether you just need a quick chip repair, a full car window replacement, or anything in between, we have the tools and experience you need to get the job done right. Feel free to contact our team to request your free estimate. For any questions, and to schedule service, give us a call at 651.789.1111.