5 Common Causes Of Windshield Damage And How To Prevent Them

Windshields are strong, but they can only take so much. If you live in an area prone to bad weather or have a lot of road debris and potholes, it’s likely that your car will sustain some kind of windshield damage at some point. That said, there are steps you can take to prevent or minimize damage to your vehicle’s glass if it does happen. Here are five common causes of windshield damage and how you can avoid them:

Bad Weather

Bad weather is one of the most common causes of windshield damage. It can happen in any season and at any time, but there are some specific weather conditions that are more likely to cause problems than others.

• Snow and ice: If you live in an area where snow or ice storms occur frequently, then you know how quickly they can make roads dangerous for driving. The weight of these materials makes them harder on your vehicle than normal rain or hail would be–it’s best not to drive through them unless it’s absolutely necessary!
• Rain: Although rain isn’t quite as destructive as some other forms of precipitation (like hail), it still has enough force behind it to cause damage if it hits your windshield directly enough or at high speeds over long periods of time.* Wind: Sustained winds can easily blow debris into the path of oncoming cars’ windshields; this could include small rocks or even larger items like tree limbs.* Extreme heat: Heat waves are known for causing fires throughout communities all over the world–and if those flames reach your car before firefighters do? Well…you get the idea!

Road Hazards

Road hazards can be anything that finds its way onto the road, like:

• Debris from the road, such as leaves or pine needles.
• Broken glass.
• Stones and metal objects, such as nuts and bolts that have fallen off vehicles or other machinery.
• Paint, dirt or mud spilled onto the road by another vehicle’s tire treads–or even your own!

Sand and grit can also cause damage to your windshield if you drive through them at high speeds (e.g., on a highway).

Fender Benders

A fender bender is a common cause of windshield damage, especially if you live in an area where the roads are narrow and traffic is heavy. Small cracks can appear from the impact of two cars bumping into each other, while larger ones may result from one car running into another vehicle’s side or rear. These types of accidents can also cause star chips–smaller, shallow scratches that will require minimal repair work–and deep scratches that require more extensive repair work.

Fallen Items

Fallen items, such as tree branches, rocks and animals can cause serious damage to your windshield. If you’re driving down the road and see something in the road ahead of you that could potentially be a hazard to other drivers or even yourself if it were to hit your windshield at high speeds, get out of its way as quickly as possible.

If there are no other options available for avoiding these types of hazards (such as moving into another lane), turn on your emergency flashers so that other drivers will know what’s going on with their own safety in mind before making any sudden moves themselves

Flying Debris And Road Debris

Flying debris and road debris are two of the most common causes of windshield damage. Flying debris can be thrown up by other vehicles, by the wind or even by construction equipment. Road debris includes rocks, sticks, leaves and other items that may be on the road when you’re driving.

Debris can also come from falling trees or branches if they’re not properly maintained. If a car accident results in broken glass on your windshield, this could be an additional source of flying shards as well.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a way to avoid this type of damage in the future, there are a few things that you can do. First and foremost, make sure that your windshield is clean and clear at all times. This will help prevent debris from getting stuck between the glass panes or on top of them in the event that something does happen. Also consider investing in an aftermarket window deflector for added protection against falling objects like rocks or even hailstones. But if ever something happens, always a good windshield repair will save you money!