How many vehicles have you seen driving around Minneapolis with plastic covering a window? Ever wondered whether that’s a safe option if your window sustains damage? At Only 1 Auto Glass, we’re here to tell you that driving around with a plastic window covering is far from safe. Below, we’ve listed out just a handful of the many reasons why.
Plastic Offers No Protection Against Flying Objects
Both you and your passengers are more vulnerable to injury when you drive around with plastic on one or more of your vehicle’s windows. Why? Because driving at moderate to high speeds can easily kick up road debris. And not only will your vehicle stir up rocks and other objects on the pavement, but so will the other vehicles around you.
Ever witnessed a pebble or two collide with your windows while driving on the freeway? When you drive with a plastic window covering, there’s nothing to stop those types of objects from flying into your vehicle at high velocity. Moreover, if you’re involved in a collision while your window covering is still in place, that covering won’t prevent shattered glass or shards of metal from entering your vehicle through the window. And unfortunately, if you or any of your passengers are in the path of a flying piece of debris, serious injuries are inevitable.
Because auto glass is (obviously) thicker and more resilient than plastic, it provides significantly heightened protection from road debris and other flying objects. As such, if any of your windows sustain damage, head to an auto glass repair shop as soon as you can — don’t just cover the damage with plastic and call it a day.
Plastic Impedes Visibility
Safe driving requires that you have full visibility in every direction, but if you attach plastic over damaged auto glass, you immediately hamper your normal driving visibility. And even if the plastic is semi-transparent, it still doesn’t allow you a complete view of what’s going on around your vehicle.
Lack of full visibility doesn’t just endanger you and your passengers; it also endangers everyone around you. Without an unencumbered view of your surroundings, you won’t be able to:
● See vehicles in your blind spots
● Observe pedestrians waiting to cross the road or walking through crosswalks
● React promptly to approaching emergency vehicles
● Change lanes safely
● See approaching traffic while pulling out onto roadways
To help ensure the highest degree of safety for yourself, your passengers, and the drivers and pedestrians around you, avoid driving with plastic on your windows if at all possible. Auto glass replacement is relatively inexpensive and requires a very small time commitment — and it could potentially save you from a devastating accident.
A Plastic Window Makes Your Vehicle a Target for Theft
Want someone to burglarize your vehicle? Then you need to have broken auto glass repaired or replaced as soon as the damage occurs. We hate to say it, but driving around with plastic on your window is essentially an open invitation for thieves — after all, you’re giving anyone open access to your vehicle. And if you must park in public areas, either for work or simply to run errands, your risk of theft increases exponentially.
Plastic Cannot Prevent Water Leaks
You already know electronics and water don’t play well together. So if you’ve got a broken side window with plastic covering it, what do you think might happen if there’s heavy rain? Not only can the electronic controls inside your door sustain damage, but if enough water enters your vehicle, it can also damage the controls in the center console and dash. And no, not even waterproof tape will stop torrential rain from entering your vehicle.
Thin, flimsy plastic doesn’t provide anywhere near the level of leak protection that glass does, so if you must cover your window with plastic, make sure it’s a (very) temporary solution. Ideally, you should schedule an auto glass repair appointment within a day or two of sustaining window damage.
Only 1 Auto Glass: Your Twin Cities Source for Quality Auto Glass Repair and Replacement
If you have a chipped, cracked, or completely shattered vehicle window, it’s time to get in touch with our team at Only 1 Auto Glass. We specialize in comprehensive auto glass repair and replacement for all vehicle makes and models, and with 15 locations throughout the Twin Cities metro, we’re just a short trip from wherever you are. To request a free estimate or schedule an appointment, feel free to give our team a call today at 651-789-1111 or message us on our contact page, and we’ll get back to you promptly.