How many vehicles have you seen around Minneapolis with plastic covering a window? Ever wondered whether that’s a safe option if your window sustains damage? 

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. For starters, if a vehicle slams into the side of your car, nothing could prevent any flying metal or glass from propelling into the cabin. 

At Only 1 Auto Glass, we’re here to tell you that driving around with a plastic window covering is far from safe. Here are just a handful of the many reasons why.

It Won’t Stop Flying Objects

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. 

Driving at moderate to high speeds can easily kick up road debris. Not only will your vehicle stir up rocks and other objects on the pavement, but so will the other vehicles around you. 

Because auto glass is (obviously) thicker and more resilient than plastic, it provides significantly heightened protection from road debris and other flying objects. 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, serious injuries are inevitable if you or any of your passengers are in the path of a flying piece of debris. As such, if any of your windows sustain damage, head to an auto glass repair shop as soon as possible. 

Don’t just cover the damage with plastic and call it a day because, in most cases, your insurance will cover the repair without increasing your premiums!

Plastic Impedes Visibility

Safe driving requires 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 give you a complete view of what’s happening around your vehicle. 

Lack of full visibility doesn’t just endanger you and your passengers but also 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 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.   

It doesn’t take a brilliant thief to break through a side window covered in plastic. They merely need to find a sharp object, cut the plastic, and open the door. It takes only a few seconds but could cost you your vehicle. 

Most owners do not adequately attach the plastic to the car. Breaking in could be as easy as pulling the plastic away.

Plastic Cannot Prevent Water Leaks

You already know electronics and water don’t play well together. All it takes is one heavy rain to beat on the plastic, and the water will start leaking into the interior. 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. 

Even waterproof tape won’t stop torrential rain from entering your vehicle, and it can damage your car's finish or tear the seal on the frame. If your side window is destroyed, our mobile auto glass repair service can arrive on-site to fix your window. It only takes a few minutes to replace the glass. We can protect your car’s interior from rain and snow.

It’s Awful When It’s Cold Outside

During the winter, the temperatures can be almost unbearable. The cold wind is magnified when you’re driving down the road at 60 mph. 

No matter how high you turn on your heat, the cold winds can cut through the plastic and keep the inside of your car freezing. You’ll also waste energy and gas cranking your heat too high to compensate. 

Auto glass repair is more affordable than you think. Instead of wasting your time and money with plastic, we can repair your window and keep the heat inside your vehicle this winter. 

Got a Broken Vehicle Window? How to Handle It While You Schedule Auto Glass Repair 

A shattered vehicle window is unfortunate for any driver. But if you can’t go to an auto glass repair shop immediately, a broken window can leave your vehicle vulnerable to further damage. 

Water, pests, and debris can easily enter any vehicle through a partially intact window, and the interior damage those things can cause can be extensive. To protect the interior of your vehicle while you find the time or funds to pursue auto glass replacement, follow these tips:

Clean Up as Much of the Broken Glass as Possible

First and most importantly, if there are loose glass shards inside your vehicle or on the door, clean up as much of the glass as you can. Wear thick, protective gloves for this job, as glass fragments can instantly injure you unless you’re super careful. 

After you’ve removed all the large pieces of glass, use a high-powered vacuum (preferably a shop vac) to pick up any smaller fragments. Remember that even if you can’t readily see them, tiny shards of glass might be sitting on seats or the floor. For safety’s sake, it’s best to vacuum the entire area, even if it appears glass-free. 

Clean the Window Frame & Seal

Even a high-powered vacuum might not clean up all the tiniest shards of glass around the window’s frame. That’s where a thorough cleaning comes in. To clean the window frame and seal, use a damp, soft cloth and wipe the area down thoroughly. 

In addition to picking up the shards of glass, cleaning the area also removes dust, dirt, and grime that can interfere with your ability to seal the window properly during the next step. Once you have the frame and seal completely clean, it’s time to seal the window to prevent moisture and debris from entering your vehicle.

Cover & Seal the Window

When you need to cover and seal off a vehicle window, you have a couple of options: use a plastic cover with tape or use tape alone. 

Here’s how to accomplish the job:

Plastic Cover and Tape

If you’re using a plastic sheet to cover the open area, you can use a clear drop cloth or even a plastic bag. 

To cover the area, stretch the bag across the window and secure it with a few small pieces of tape. Then, measure out long strips of masking or packing tape and use them to firmly secure the bag to the frame of the window. 

Make sure you seal the opening completely to prevent moisture from entering the vehicle. For extra protection, complete this process on both the inside and outside of the window frame.

Tape Alone

If you only have tape on hand, you can use long strips of it to seal off the window. You should definitely place tape on both sides of the frame to achieve an adequate seal. 

Keep in mind that both of these covering techniques should be very temporary solutions! If you’re covering your window because you don’t have the time to take your vehicle in for auto glass repair, you can always schedule a mobile repair. 

For your safety, get it done as soon as you possibly can!

Only 1 Auto Glass: Your Twin Cities Source for Quality Auto Glass Repair and Replacement

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. 

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, call our team today at 651-789-1111 or message us on our contact page, and we'll get back to you promptly.