What to Do if You Have a Broken Windshield

Here at McConnell Auto Glass, we want to help you stay safe on the road, and a big part of that is keeping your vehicle in good condition, especially the windshield. Dealing with a broken windshield is never fun, and it can be difficult to figure out what to do. In our experience, many drivers have an overblown idea of the dangers of cracked or chipped windshields, which can easily lead to panic–this isn’t to say that a cracked windshield is 100% safe, as even small amounts of damage do affect the vehicle’s safety rating, but you don’t have to worry that a minor crack will make your windshield cave in. To counter this misinformation, our team has put together this brief guide on what to do if you have to deal with a broken windshield.

• Drive Home or to a Repair Shop– If your windshield breaks, you should drive home or to a repair shop as soon as possible. If you can go straight to the shop, we encourage you to do so. In situations where the damage is severe, you should pull over and call a tow truck, but for minor cracks you should be just fine to drive home.
• Remove Broken Glass –The next step for dealing with a broken windshield is removing the broken glass. Wear gloves when handling broken glass in order to prevent cuts, and use a vacuum to ensure that all shards, even the smallest, are safely removed from the area.
• Seal the Gaps –If you can’t make it to a repair shop right away, it’s best to cover any cracks or holes in your broken windshield with clear tape or plastic in order to keep moisture out of your car.

We hope that this information has been helpful to you, and we want to let you know that our team is a preferred vendor for insurance companies. If you experience a broken windshield, we encourage you to give us a call.