If you’re a driver in the Bronx, you’ll want to make sure your car satisfies all of the state’s safety and legal criteria before you hit the road. Many different standards must be met by the state before a vehicle can be certified street legal, but one of the most disregarded safety aspects is windshield condition. Many drivers’ windshields are cracked, chipped, or otherwise damaged. This is not only unsafe for the driver and other drivers on the road, but it may also be illegal.
All Windshields Must Be Made of Safety Glass
Not all glass is created equal. All automobiles are required by law to use a special type of glass known as safety glass. Safety glass is developed and made with strength and safety in mind. The glass is of greater quality than regular glass, making it more durable. Safety glass is also intended to be less dangerous when broken. When conventional glass shatters, it tends to shatter into large, sharp fragments that would be extremely deadly in a collision. Safety glass, on the other hand, fractures into smaller fragments that are not as sharp and certainly not as deadly as ordinary glass.
Tints for Windshields
Most car windows are tinted to some extent. However, not all tinting is created equal, and there are restrictions in place to limit how darkly tinted your vehicle’s windshield can be. The only tint permitted on your vehicle’s front windshield is non-reflective tint. The tint cannot also reach more than five inches from the top of the windshield. Mirrored and reflecting tint is not permitted on any car window. Any car with aftermarket tint must have a sticker on the driver’s side window authenticating the firm that installed the tint so that authorities may check the tint satisfies legal requirements.
Rules for Windshield Cracks & Chips
The most prevalent causes for a windshield to be judged dangerous are cracking and chipping. A visible crack or chip in a windshield appears to be an obvious source of major difficulties. For starters, severe fractures indicate that your windshield’s structural integrity has been damaged (cracks in your glass cannot be crossed by other cracks). This may increase the likelihood of your windshield cracking in the future. In the worst-case scenario, a large crack might cause your windshield to shatter completely. Even if your windshield is structurally sound, cracks and chips can substantially hinder your view of the road. This is troublesome for obvious reasons, but it may be illegal if the obstacles are severe enough.
Contact Bronx Window Tinting today for additional information or to book a windshield repair or replacement!
