Is it legal/safe to drive with a cracked windcreen?

HiMyNameIsLauren

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

This thread is from 2009, I think the OP has the issue fixed now...

Lol, was going to mention the same thing, but I thought I'd clarify something for others whom may read this with same issue.

If you have to wait for brand X to fix it, go elsewhere. It's not usually AutoGlass that can do the repair.

I had a small (less than 2 cm) crack on my windscreen and go it repaired at one of these by the road jobs... errr, doesn't sound very legit does it? But it is and they do the SAME thing as AutoGlass. I don't beleive for one minute AG will be superior in any way, but check first with your insurance company that it's ok to use others and it's still covered.

Lum

Pretty much the case that you use whoever the insurance company say to use or it ends up costing you a fortune. If that's autoglass then so be it.

That said, last time I used autoglass, the guy who turned up was annoyed that I didn't have a garage for him to do the work in because it was totally my fault that it was raining that day. Ended up having to get him to follow me to a mostly unused local road that becomes unusually wide as it passes underneath the A472 and have him do the job at the side of the road there.

And then he managed to crack both plastic covers on my car's A pillars in the process.

red_eye

pookienoodle wrote: »

While driving today something hit my windscreen and caused it to crack,my insurance company put me in touch with Autoglass who cannot replace my windscreen until sometime on Thursday.
When I moaned this was a long time as I need the car to take my disabled husband to a hospital appointment tomorrow I was told it was safe and legal to drive a car with a cracked windscreen passenger side.
this seems to be different to what Autoglass have on their website.
quote
"A windscreen provides 30% of a car’s structural strength and if damaged by a crack, it requires a complete and immediate replacement"
So can anyone please tell me is it safe and legal?

30% is alot to ask from 2* 3mm toughend glass considering that a car weighs nearly 2tons anyhow the glass is bonded to the car to allow for chassis flex

NeilZeBub

You also don't want the windscreen falling in half and slicing through you. My windscreen is cracked, maybe double sided tape will hold it so I can stick my tomtom to it too.

Natasha_H

Came home from work yesterday to find, what with these rough winds, that a branch from a tree had dropped and smashed my car windscreen. Really gutted. The impact is on the bottom of the passenger's side. It looks like a big rock has been thrown on it and there are cracks spreading out. If I were to drive it I wouldn't have a clear view out of the left side even though I think I could see as usual through the driver's side. Autowindscreens are the company approved by my insurers and I will only have to pay £70 excess to replace the windscreen with them. They think the damage is bad enough that it needs to be replaced. As that is the case I think it will be illegal for me to drive it. What's frustrating too is that the earliest Autowindscreens can come out to me to carry out the work is 30th April! Long time for me to be without my car. Nightmare!

mattyprice4004

Natasha_H wrote: »

Came home from work yesterday to find, what with these rough winds, that a branch from a tree had dropped and smashed my car windscreen. Really gutted. The impact is on the bottom of the passenger's side. It looks like a big rock has been thrown on it and there are cracks spreading out. If I were to drive it I wouldn't have a clear view out of the left side even though I think I could see as usual through the driver's side. Autowindscreens are the company approved by my insurers and I will only have to pay £70 excess to replace the windscreen with them. They think the damage is bad enough that it needs to be replaced. As that is the case I think it will be illegal for me to drive it. What's frustrating too is that the earliest Autowindscreens can come out to me to carry out the work is 30th April! Long time for me to be without my car. Nightmare!

Ring around local windscreen companies (not autoglass!) and you'll find a new windscreen could be cheap anyway - £110 fitted for my car!

Good luck, I wouldn't drive it.