You may think that your car's windscreen is simply a piece of glass, shaped and measured so that it fits perfectly into the space allocated. Actually, this is a fine piece of engineering in its own right and experts spend a lot of time both in its design and construction. Yet your windscreen will wear out as time goes by and you may not notice that this is happening, but you should definitely take action before you experience a failure. What could happen and what should you be aware of?

Carefully Engineered

The modern-day windscreen is designed to be shatterproof, with laminated construction to help protect the occupants in the event of a crash. It may also have certain performance elements built in, to help deal with frost accumulation or misting and will be specially designed so that it helps to cut down the risk of glare.

Dealing With the Everyday

Of course, its primary purpose is to keep the elements at bay and allow the occupants of the car to travel safely at high speed, but it will inevitably encounter damage caused by road debris, birds, insects and adverse weather conditions. Over time, this can cause a problem known as "pitting," where tiny (and almost imperceptible) scratches or cracks appear that will tend to accumulate.

More Subtle

Sometimes, a passing truck may throw up a large stone and this may create a sizeable crack, which is self-evident. Each time you drive your car over a big pothole, this crack may tend to spread, and you will eventually have to get the windscreen repaired or likely replaced.

The Effect of Pitting

Pitting, on the other hand, is far more subtle and you may not even notice that it is there. However, the surface of the screen will definitely deteriorate, and this will cause an increased amount of glare when driving into the setting sun, or when driving towards an oncoming car at night. You will find it increasingly difficult to see clearly through a distorted screen and in the worst-case scenario, the glass will become weak and less able to protect in the event of a front-end crash.

Don't Put It Off

If you've noticed that it's difficult to see out of the windscreen in certain conditions, you may have put this down to "one of those things." However, it looks like windscreen pitting has become a major challenge in your case and you should take the vehicle in to get a replacement as soon as possible. 

For more information on getting a windscreen replacement, contact your local professionals today.