What To Do If My Windscreen Cracks On The Motorway

Your car breaking down or suffering from damage is never good news.

But on a motorway, it can be even worse.

Due to the high speeds on motorways, any damage becomes more dangerous and this includes windscreen cracks. 

If your vehicle’s windscreen cracks on the motorway, it’s important not to panic and follow a few simple steps to ensure you can get to safety. 

In this article, the team at The Windscreen Company will take a look at how you should handle windscreen damage on the motorway, including cracks.  

What to do if my windscreen cracks on the motorway

Windscreen damage may be more common on the motorway than on normal roads due to the high speeds, which increase the likelihood of chips and stones flicking up onto the glass. 

However, cracks on the motorway can be frightening and cause panic. 

It’s important to try and stay calm, and by following the steps below you will be able to deal with the situation in a safe and straightforward manner. 

Stop as soon as possible

If you experience a chipped or cracked windscreen while on the motorway, the first thing you need to do is pull over and stop in a safe place.

Reduce your speed, use the next available exit and find a safe place to stop and put on your hazard lights. 

If possible, getting to a nearby service station is usually the most suitable option.   

Check the severity of the damage 

Once you have safely stopped, you can begin assessing the damage. 

The main thing you should be looking out for is the type of damage that has occurred and its severity, as this will dictate whether the vehicle is safe to continue driving. 

The type of damage will fall into three different categories:

• A chipped windscreen – The most minor type of windscreen damage, usually a chip won’t have split all the way through the glass. As long as the chip does not impact your vision when behind the wheel, you should still be safe to drive.
• A cracked windscreen – Cracked windscreens vary in terms of severity. It is more serious than a chip, but you can still drive the car permitting the damage is not impacting your vision. 
• A shattered windscreen – A shattered windscreen is the worst type of damage you can sustain. If it has shattered, you must not drive the vehicle under any circumstances. 

Note the location of the damage

As mentioned above, the location of the damage is also relevant when it comes to road safety laws and whether the vehicle is safe to drive.

Windscreens are split into different zones A, B, C and D.

A and B make up the driver’s field of vision, with A being in the middle and B on either side of the sightline. If there is any damage in zones A or B, then you should not drive the vehicle. 

If the damage is confined to zones C or D, then you should still be able to drive the car unless the glass has shattered.  

Call a professional windscreen company 

At the earliest opportunity, you should call a professional windscreen company to carry out repairs or a windscreen replacement. 

If your windscreen has shattered or cracked in zones A or B, then you should not drive the vehicle and contact The Windscreen Company’s emergency service. 

We provide a leading mobile windscreen service that can head to your exact location to carry out the work and get you moving again as soon as possible. 

To find out more about what we do, contact The Windscreen Company today. 

The Windscreen Company

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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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