Let’s face it: auto glass repair is never going to brighten up your day. Though the Speers Auto Glass Repair team goes above and beyond to get the best prices, warranties, and repair turnover times possible, the fact is that you still end up paying money you hadn’t planned on spending.
The Speers Auto Glass Repair team wants to help. Whether you’re dealing with windshield damage now and never want it to happen again, or you’ve been lucky so far and want to keep it that way, the following tips should help you minimize your windshields woes on the open road.
1. Avoid big rigs and other large trucks
Highway driving can involve a lot of big truck encounters – and even the dreaded big rig box-in – but there are still some things you can keep in mind to avoid any unnecessary windshield damage. Pay attention to the wheels on the truck in front of you; if the truck lacks mud flaps, get out of there! Whether you need to slow down, change lanes, or speed up to pass, you need to get your windshield out from behind those mud flap-free wheels. If you don’t, it’s only a matter of time before they start kicking up stones, dirt, and other abrasive projectiles.
2. Never tailgate
This tip should really go without saying, but if you’ve spent any significant amount of time on the road, you know that there are many people out there who could use a reminder. Tailgating is dangerous: it drastically reduces the amount of time you have to react to a sudden change of speed, and it puts your windshield at risk, too. By reducing the distance between your windshield and the back wheels of the car in front of you, you give any dirt, pebbles, or road salt that’s been kicked up less time to decelerate, thereby welcoming a high-speed projectile into your windshield! Less tailgating means less trips to our auto glass repair specialists.
3. Minimize streetside parking when possible
If you have access to a garage, use it! Parking on the street can leave your windshield susceptible to all sorts of unexpected damage from passersby and hostile weather.
4. Guard against interior impacts
Auto glass repair is more difficult when the cracks or chips are along the interior of the windshield surface. Some clients have shared stories of pets running loose, kids throwing temper tantrums, and fly-swatting gone awry, all of which have led to costly interior windshield damage. Eliminate these possibilities, and you minimize the chances of getting dinged with unwanted auto glass repair fees.
5. Avoid sudden temperature changes
One common cause of windshield cracks is sudden temperature changes. In Oakville, this happens most often when a frustrated winter driver tries to defrost their windshield with a boiling cup of water. The transitional shock from freezing to scalding heat can trigger rapid contraction or expansion of your car’s frame, which can cause minor windshield damage. If left untreated, these minor damages can worsen until your car is unsafe to drive, at which point auto glass repair is no longer an option. You’ll have to fork over the fees for a windshield replacement instead.
We hope these tips help you stay safe on the road! To learn more about auto glass repair in Oakville, visit our website or call (905) 339-0339 toll free for a complimentary consultation.