IS IT LEGAL TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED WINDSCREEN?
Accidents can happen at any moment. We get it! But, you need to know exactly what to do in the event that they do happen so you’re not creating even more stress for yourself in the moment. One of the questions that we get asked all the time here at Champion Autoglass is “can you drive a car with a cracked windscreen?” The short answer is no. The long answer is…complicated. Let’s dive into this one so you know whether you can make your way to us, or if we need to come to you when you’ve cracked your windscreen.
What does the law say about cracked windscreens?
When it comes to the law, road safety is the top priority. Western Australia sticks by the regulations set out by the National Road Transport Commission’s Roadworthiness Guidelines. If the crack that you have in your windscreen is impairing your vision, then it’s illegal to drive the vehicle. If you can’t see out of the windscreen safely, then don’t drive the car. Simple. This is where it gets slightly complicated. What determines whether the crack is big enough to fall under this bracket?
How big is the crack & where is it?
If you have a bull’s eye crack that’s more than 16mm in diameter or a crack that’s more than 150mm long that gets in the way of your view when driving, then you won’t be able to drive. It also depends on whereabouts the crack is in the windscreen. If it’s right in front of you when you sit in the driver’s seat, then you shouldn’t risk driving with the crack. But if it’s a little crack on the passenger side, you’re able to drive it if you feel safe to do so.
Will my windscreen shatter?
If you’re confident that you can drive safely with the cracked windscreen, but are unsure whether you might make matters worse, then stay put where you are. But if you’re out on the roads when it happens, you might be concerned about the windscreen shattering on your way home or to the service garage. Rest assured, the glass on windscreens is laminated, so you won’t have to worry about the glass shattering and falling into your car as the other windows can do. However, this doesn’t mean that the little crack won’t spiderweb out into a much one if your car goes over a pothole. So always be careful driving with even the smallest of cracks.
Don’t risk it – we’ll come to you
Still tossing up the question of “is it legal to drive with a cracked windscreen?” Don’t feel safe driving your car? Don’t stress. The great news is that you don’t have to sit there wondering if that little crack in your windscreen is ok to drive with. The windscreen replacement and repair capabilities of Champion Autoglass are fully mobile, meaning that we can come to you at home or wherever the damage to your windscreen happened. On the flip side, if you’ve got a tiny crack or stone chip in your windscreen, feel free to head down to our workshop in Midland to get it sorted. Plus, if the chip is smaller than a $1 coin, we can repair it and save you some serious cash, with our windscreen repair work starting at only $100. If you’ve had your window cracked or smashed recently, don’t wait to get it fixed. Jump on a call with Steve at Champion Autoglass today on 0405 551 188 or fill out our online form to get a quote today.
