Windscreen myths debunked
Is it safe to drive a car with a chipped or cracked windscreen? Can you fix a crack with nail polish? Read on to find out.
Words: Jeremy Rochow
Damaged windscreens made up 16 per cent of vehicle-related claims with RAA Insurance between 2020 and 2023. It was the third most common vehicle-related claim type for that period.
With that in mind, we answer four commonly asked questions about windscreens and repairing this vital car component.
Do you need to repair small chips or cracks?
A tiny chip or crack in your windscreen might seem like a small fault that can be repaired next time your car is in the workshop.
This might not be the case. A little problem could turn into a big one if the crack or chip is ignored. Why should they be tended to as soon as possible? As the temperature changes, or you drive over bumps, the glass expands, flexes and contracts, causing cracks and chips to spread. You may need to replace the windscreen altogether instead of repairing the crack.
Can you repair a chipped windscreen with nail polish?
Got a little crack or chip that needs repairing? Using nail polish might seem like a simple, quick trick, but according to RAA Manager of Approved Repairers, Simon Halford, this is just a myth and won’t fix the problem.
“Nail polish won’t fix the chip, and it might make the repairs more costly,” Simon says. “What might have been a simple repair job could turn into a whole windscreen replacement because you may have contaminated the chip, making it irreparable.”
Does windscreen safety glass break?
If you’ve ever been involved in a major crash or witnessed one, you’d know windscreen glass can break. How it breaks is what may make it safer than normal glass. Vehicle windscreens use laminated glass, which is two sheets of glass with a piece of laminate between the two. So, when the windscreen is hit by a force that would normally break it, the glass shatters but it will generally maintain its shape and integrity, or break into small, safer pieces.
Should you use hot or cold air to demist your windscreen?
Autumn has arrived so winter is just around the corner. That means cold mornings and frosty windscreens. But does it matter if you use hot or cold air to demist your foggy glass?
“When we get questions about how to demist a windscreen, we say the most efficient method is using the car’s air-conditioner,” Simon says. “People naturally presume we’re saying to use cold air, but hot also works just as effectively – just make sure the air-conditioner is on.”
IMAGE: Getty.
Are you covered for windscreen damage?
With RAA Insurance’s Premium Comprehensive car insurance, there’s unlimited windscreen repairs and replacement and $0 excess.*
Visit raa.com.au/car-insurance or call 8202 4567 for more information.
Subject to limitations and exclusions. Repairs should not be undertaken without prior consent of RAA. RAA Premium Comprehensive Car Insurance is issued by RAA Insurance Limited (ABN 14 007 872 602) AFSL No. 232525. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination available from the RAA website, when deciding whether to purchase this product.
