When a windscreen is damaged, the first question is whether it needs replacing. Three things decide the answer: how big the damage is, where it is, and what kind of damage it is.
Size
Small chips are the least serious. Long cracks are the most serious, because they keep growing. The larger the damage, the less likely it is that anything short of a new windscreen will do.
Position
- In the driver's line of sight: damage here can distract you and can fail an MOT, so it matters most.
- At the edge of the glass: damage near the edge weakens the screen, and cracks that start there tend to spread.
- Near a camera or sensor: the glass in front of these needs to be clear and sound.
Type of damage
A clean chip is different from a star-shaped break or a crack with several branches. If the glass has been hit hard enough to damage more than the outer layer, a new windscreen is the safe choice.
What we do
Send us a photo and your registration. We look at the size, position and type of damage and tell you straight what your car needs.
