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Your windscreen is key to your view of the road, so if your view is compromised it can be very dangerous to continue driving. So what should you do if your windscreen breaks while driving? Whether you’ve been in a collision or something has gone through the windscreen, the key is to try and keep calm.
We’ve got a set of steps to take when you find yourself with a heavily damaged windscreen on your car:
We’ve written about the legality of driving with a damaged screen before, but let’s recap the different types of damage and what you should do.
It might seem obvious to most people, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who try to carry on driving with their vision obscured and their windscreen glass obliterated.
If you’ve been in a collision you will have already stopped, attending to any injuries and swapping insurance information with the relevant parties, but what about instances where you’re on an open stretch of road? This could be because an object or animal has hit your windscreen – a common issue in rural areas where deer run into the road.
If you’re on the motorway, it’s best to reduce your speed slowly – braking sharply with limited vision is the most dangerous thing of all to do. Try to remain calm and bring your vehicle to a stop in a safe place like a lay-by or the hard shoulder. Put your hazard lights on to alert other drivers and keep in mind that other motorists will be moving at great speeds.
If you’re attempting to reach a safe place, but your windscreen is too damaged, push out the glass in front of you with the flat of your palm to give you some clear vision. It’s best to do this with a gloved or covered hand to avoid injury.
Once you’ve stopped safely, the best thing to do is to call a windscreen repair company to help. Professionals like The Windscreen Company will be able to remove the broken glass and fit a new windscreen so you can continue on your journey.
If for whatever reason you cannot get a replacement service, or you have no phone to call for assistance, you can attempt to safely remove the broken glass – this is to give you a clear view of the road and safer driving conditions while you try to reach a safer destination. Find something to catch the glass in and, while wearing protective gloves*, start to break off the damaged glass, wrapping it in your towel or newspaper.
Removing the glass means there is no risk of it breaking off once you start driving again and causing injury. Driving without a windscreen is not a safe or permanent fix, and it is recommended you wear protective eye wear of some form and only attempt to drive a short distance to reach a place where you can attain assistance; either via an emergency phone or where you have signal on your own phone.
Driving without the windscreen in place will mean a lot of air filling the car. The pressure and sensation associated with this will not be comfortable to begin with. The key is to remain calm and drive carefully to reach a point where you can call for assistance.
*Disclaimer: We recommend only doing this in an emergency & with great care – always try to use a professional service when possible.
Call the windscreen company today for mobile windscreen replacement or repair on 0800 998 1068. Wherever you are in the South East – including Ipswich and Essex – our expert team can fit a new windscreen when yours is damaged beyond repair, getting you back on the road safely again – we even operate a 24-hour emergency service.
The Windscreen Company, has over 20 years of experience in windscreen repair and replacement. Since 1998, they have been at the forefront of industry innovation, leveraging the latest technology to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.
The Windscreen Company's, help-and-advice pages offer valuable tips and guidance on maintaining vehicle safety through quality windscreen care, while also featuring updated industry realted content.
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The Windscreen Company is a registered company in England.
Registered Number: 3545701 VAT Number: 720 0628 78
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