Crack in windscreen- would you drive?

[Flo321]

I’ve got a crack in windscreen and have booked appointment to have it replaced but the soonest appointment I can get is the 16th June!!
I need to do a 12 hour round trip for work this week to an event for a few days and I haven’t got access to another vehicle and the insurance can’t get me another car quick enough.

Would you chance driving it?

Depends how big it is and where on the windscreen. Can work book you a hire car? Take the train?

I had a 3 inch crack in my windscreen last winter. When I phoned the insurance people to I specifically asked if it was safe to drive (was able to WFH so not an inssue) and she said yes. I was quite surprised but she said it was the way the windscreens are constructed they are safe.

I wouldn't. Too big a risk.

Is it in your eye line?

How big is it? Windscreens are designed safely now, the things not going to shatter into huge shards of glass if the worst was to happen.

Where is it? Across your line of vision I probably wouldn't, if you can see clearly I would (can you see where the crack started? Mine was a stone chip which in the recent hot weather cracked). On the screen shattering side you are safe as the windscreens are designed not to shatter

I have and it was fine.

If it was icy or extreme hot and cold weather then I wouldn’t.

It’s over on the passenger side and isn’t obstructing my vision so I’m not concerned from that point of view.
Friend said last night the windscreen wouldn’t shatter but was interested to hear what others thought. Thank you

It’s fine, it won’t shatter. I have been driving with a 50cm crack for the last 6 months.

I had a 30cm crack for 3 years so no big deal.

You're nearly at your replacement date so I guess somehow you have managed.

I live abroad where the concept of personal safety is at a much lower level than the UK. People drive around for months with cracked windscreens because insurance doesn't cover that here and many people can't afford replacements.

Windscreens are made of 2 or 3 layers bonded together, usually only one layer cracks and the others keep it together. Ultimately if it did crack further, it is designed to shatter into very small fragments with not so sharp edges so again is unlikely to cause serious injury.

So all in all, I would drive.

I had a small crack, a week later the crack was the full length of the windscreen, got full windscreen replaced.