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How to Make Sure Your Windshield is Properly Installed
(ARA) - Experts rank the windshield as the third most important safety component in today’s car. Along with seatbelts and airbags, ranked first and second, all three components are part of what automobile engineers refer to as a vehicle’s safety restraint system (SRS).
The SRS is intended to keep vehicle occupants inside the relative safety of the passenger compartment during a collision or roll over. “SRS components work together,” says Leo Cyr, vice president of NOVUS Auto Glass. “For example, the windshield provides virtually all the support a passenger side airbag needs to deploy properly. If the windshield falls out, the air bag is all but useless. Similarly, the windshield provides a minimum of 60 percent of the roof support for most cars. If the windshield is displaced, that support is gone, along with most of the crush resistance designed into the vehicle.”
Everybody loves a bargain. But “cheap” is not a criterion that should enter into an informed consumer’s selection of an auto glass repair or replacement company.
“After many years and millions of dollars in advertising,” says Cyr, “most people now understand seatbelts save lives. Whether they ‘buckle up’ or not, people do understand seatbelts equal safety. If you mention the windshield, you get blank stares.
“Laws exist that require seatbelt use. Laws exist to prohibit tampering with or disabling airbags. However, there are no laws that govern how a windshield is replaced once the vehicle leaves the factory. An improperly replaced windshield could -- and sometimes does -- become detached from the vehicle during airbag deployment, from the force of a collision, or when the car rolls or flips over. With the windshield disabled, the effectiveness of the SRS is seriously compromised.
“The tragedy of the situation,” explains Cyr, “is the average person will not realize their windshield was improperly replaced until it is too late. There are literally thousands of responsible auto glass companies in the United States that perform high-quality, safe windshield replacement. However, the way to locate and select such a company comes from knowing what questions to ask before making a commitment.”
According to Jay Bickford, NOVUS director of training, it is always wise to check with a reputable windshield repair specialist, like NOVUS, before replacing your windshield. If your windshield can be repaired, that option should be seriously considered since repair is accomplished without destroying the factory safety seal between the glass and the car’s chassis.
If the windshield cannot be repaired, Bickford offers the following before, during, and after installation tips:
Before Replacement. Does your insurance company or auto glass shop offer to inspect the damage to see if it is repairable? NOVUS, for example, is able to repair most stone chips or dings that are small enough to be covered by a credit card or cracks that will fit under a dollar bill.
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