5 Tips for Preventing Windshield Cracks

A cracked windshield can seem like a nightmare. By taking good care of your car and working to prevent these cracks from occurring in the first place, you can save yourself a lot of trouble. Fortunately, following these tips should help.

1. Avoid Sudden Changes in Temperature One of the main things that can cause a crack in a windshield is a sudden change in temperature. Be careful about keeping your car outdoors in below-freezing temperatures, and be cautious about using your defroster or pouring hot water on your windshield in these conditions. Also, if possible, keep your car in the garage when it's overly hot or cold outside.

2. Be Careful When Driving Over Speed Bumps or Pot Holes Even if you're in a hurry, be careful about driving quickly over speed bumps or pot holes. Jarring your vehicle in this manner can increase the chances of a windshield crack and can cause damage to your car in other ways as well. If you already have a small crack, such carelessness could make the crack worse.

3. Don't Ignore Chips and Other Imperfections Minor chips in your windshield might not seem like a big deal, but you shouldn't ignore them. Even the most minor of chips can put your vehicle at an increased risk of cracking in the windshield. Plus, it's generally cheaper and easier to have small chips repaired than to fix a large crack or replace your entire windshield.

4. Avoid Slamming Your Doors Be careful about slamming your car doors. Not only can it be unpleasant, but it can also cause jarring to your vehicle, which can increase the risk of cracks. Plus, if there are already chips or minor cracks in your windshield, slamming your doors can only make it worse.

5. Don't Follow Too Closely There are plenty of reasons not to follow too closely behind other drivers—such as getting a ticket or getting in an accident—but if you're looking for one more, think about your vehicle's windshield. Rocks and road debris can be thrown up from the tires and undercarriage of the vehicles in front of you and can damage your windshield if you don't follow from a safe distance.

Windshield cracks can be a major pain. Luckily, following these five tips can help you prevent them from occurring in the first place. You can also use a good auto glass company in case you need a windshield repair.