With winter tires professionally installed, summer windshield fluid swapped out for a non-freezing variety and a winter safety kit stowed in the trunk, you might be tempted to put off any further vehicle-related chores until the spring but there’s one last thing you should check.
Beyond allowing you a clear view of the road ahead, your windshield also plays a key role in protecting you should an accident occur, explains Duncan Libby from Apple Auto Glass Abbotsford. And with winter driving conditions putting you at greater risk, ignoring a damaged windshield until spring isn’t just procrastination, it’s a gamble with your safety.
Libby explains why you might not want to risk letting that rock chip snowball into a crack this winter.
- More than a window: The windshield isn’t just some oversized window that lets you see the road. It’s been carefully crafted to protect you in the event of a collision and makes up 30 per cent of vehicle’s structural integrity. A damaged windshield also compromises other safety systems such as your airbags, potentially impeding their deployment and their effectiveness. In other words, if your windshield has a crack you’re putting yourself and your passengers at greater risk of injury or death in the event of an accident.
- Rock chip to full-fledged crack in record time: Winter temperature changes between day and night are enough to turn that harmless chip into a crack in minutes and a crack not only puts your vehicle’s integrity at risk, they generally require a full windshield replacement rather then just a repair.
As winter knocks on the door, delaying windshield repairs until spring is a risky manoeuvre. Make sure your windshield is winter-ready and repair any chips or cracks before hitting the road.
Request a quote or book an appointment at appleautoglass.com/windshield-repair/abbotsford, or call 604-854-1232, or simply swing by the shop at 102-32240 South Fraser Way in Abbotsford.
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