Car maintenance and repair is always a carefully balanced game of knowing what should be repaired immediately and what you can afford to put off. This is necessary for many car owners since they won't always have the money needed for the repairs.
One of the issues that you may have to consider is windshield repair. Auto glass can be damaged by anything from vandalism to stray road debris. When the glass is in need of repair, is this something you can afford to put off?
Repair Can Quickly Turn into Replacement
The downside of putting off any repairs, whether it's auto glass or engine trouble, is that what may be fixable today may be damaged beyond repair tomorrow. Therefore, any time you postpone these repairs, you're walking a fine line.
In the case of auto glass, the difference between what can be repaired and what must be replaced is very small. Shallow cracks in auto glass can often be repaired; however, the suitability of repair diminishes with the depth of the crack.
A crack in your windshield can spread or become deeper due to the regular vibrations caused by the car or the road as it moves along.
There Are Serious Safety Concerns
A damaged windshield causes many safety concerns. For starters, the system used by manufacturers to prevent the roof from collapsing in case of a rollover is less effective if the auto glass is damaged.
Damaged windshields can also be distracting especially if they are directly in front of the driver. The cracks can also reflect light into the driver's eyes and cause a blinding effect. This temporary distraction may be just enough to cause a serious accident.
It's Probably Illegal
In many states, the windshield is recognized as an essential safety component in your vehicle. This means that, if nothing else, driving with a crack in your windshield is probably illegal, and if a traffic police officer notices it, you're probably going to get a ticket. To make matters worse, you may get a ticket that'll cost you a lot more than it would have to just get the damaged repaired.
Should You Put Off Repairing Your Auto Glass?
Although you may be able to put off repairing your auto glass, it's definitely not a good idea to do so. Apart from the legal issues it could cause, it's also a serious threat to your safety.
