It is very important to ensure that your windshield is protected from rocks while driving because that will minimize the frequency of windshield repair and replacement as much as possible. This thrilling and liberating feeling of driving around in your covered vehicle exposes your windshield to risks such as flying pebbles, stones, and other heavy debris that may injure it permanently.
This is quite expensive and may even have to be replaced, making it a very tiresome activity. At times, road-bound projectiles may pose a danger to the vehicle’s occupants, hence the importance of learning to safeguard your windshield against rocks. We also introduce you to products designed to protect windshields and DIY solutions that will keep helping you.
Tips to Protect Your Windshield from Rocks
If you want to learn how to protect your car windshield from rocks, then you should follow these tips:
Maintain a Safe Distance
One of the best ways of protecting your windshield from flying rocks and pebbles is by maintaining a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. The benefit of this practice is that it will give you enough time to react if the car in front of you lets loose some debris.
Also, larger cars and trucks tend to kick up more debris, and thus, by maintaining a safe distance, you can learn how to avoid rocks hitting the windshield.
Reduce Your Speed on Gravel Roads
Suppose it is not possible to avoid driving through gravel or makeshift roads. In that case, you should reduce your speed so that embedded rocks are not exposed to high pressure and are not freed up, and thus, do not collide with your vehicle’s windshield or car bonnet.
Consider a Stone and Bug Deflector
A stone and bug deflector will be attached to your vehicle’s front hood. It is designed to channel the airflow around your vehicle upward.
This means that bugs, rocks, pebbles, and other debris will be swept upstream to go above and over your vehicle. While these deflectors cannot hold back every debris from making contact with your windshield, they will ensure that the majority of them do not.
They will also be able to absorb the impact of this debris, ensuring that your windshield does not chip.
Repair Chips and Cracks Immediately
If the windshield already has chips and cracks, it should be repaired as soon as possible. Such chips and cracks can easily spread and result in more severe damage that compromises the vehicle’s safety.
Taking timely windshield repair measures prevents costly replacement and supports a strong and secure windshield.
Windshield Protection Products
You can protect your windshield from rocks, pebbles, and other debris using windshield protection products. Some of the windshield protection products that will increase the durability of your vehicle’s windshield are:
- Windshield Protection Film: This is a thin film layer over your windshield, like the gorilla glass on your mobile phone. It will protect against debris and harmful UV rays from the sun.
- Windshield Cover: It is a shield for windshields, offering protection against projectiles when your vehicle is parked. This will help prevent scratches and chipping from dust or rock particles.
DIY Solutions
To cut down the windshield repair or replacement rate and control the costs brought about, the DIY solution you can count on is applying the protection film on the windshield. Thus, to achieve this,
- You have to clean both sides of the windshield very well so that visibility is not a problem due to dust or other leftovers.
- Insist on having others unwrap the film for you and ask for help protecting your fingers from its sharp edges.
- Apply some slip solution on the outer side to stick to the film.
- Apply the film to the windshield, leaving a narrow gap between the film and the edges of the windshield.
- After application, use a squeegee to properly stick the film from the center to the edges and remove the liner from both horizontal sides. Then, tack in the whole film from the center to the edges to lock it properly.
Protect Your Windshield from Rocks
You must protect your windshield from rocks to prevent damage, improve its lifespan, make it visible more easily, and increase its value if you want to sell it. A well-maintained windshield also means you will have a safe experience while driving.
The ideas you just learned from above can keep rocks from hitting your windshield, making the service cost-effective and convenient for you. Rely on Auto Glass America for professional and high-quality windshield repair, maintenance, and replacement services.
FAQs
1. Is there anything to protect a windshield from rocks?
You can use windshield protection film and stone and bug deflectors to protect your windshield from rocks.
2. How to avoid rocks hitting the windshield?
To avoid rocks hitting the windshield, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, especially bigger vehicles, and drive slowly on unpaved or gravel roads.
3. Why does my windshield keep getting hit by rocks?
Your windshield may get hit by rocks because you might drive on highways, near construction zones, or behind larger vehicles like trucks that may kick up debris.
