Be Wary Of Potential Hazards To Your Windshield This Fall
As you move down the road this autumn, you'll likely be tempted to look out the window at the falling leaves and changing colors. But you should also be keeping an eye out for things that could end up causing damage to your vehicle, including your windshield. If you want to keep your car out of the windshield repair shop, here are some tips to keep in mind this fall.
Leaves Can Obscure Potholes and Other Problems
The pretty leaves can be nice to look at, but if the majority of them are now on the road you are driving on, you should proceed with caution. If a number of leaves clump together in one spot, it might be enough to obscure a serious pothole or bump in the road. If you drive over this area with enough speed, the impact could cause damage to your auto's glass. If you see a serious mess of leaves on the road, slow down before you drive through it. Even if there's no bump, there could be an oil spill or something else slick that could cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
Keep Hot Water in Your Coffee Mug, Not On Your Windshield
In some areas of the country, the weather may dip below freezing long before winter officially arrives. This could be especially true in the early morning when you go to leave for work before things have warmed up to a tolerable level. If you have frost on your windshield, a tactic some drivers use is to dump hot water right onto the front of the windshield instead of just waiting for the defrost to do its job. But hitting a frozen sheet of glass with piping hot water could actually cause a reaction that makes your glass crack. Be patient and let the defroster do its job while you do what you can with an ice scraper.
Be Wary on Windy Days
Fall can also bring an increase in wind in some parts of the country. This excess wind could lead to falling branches, or it could kick up some rocks or other debris that has accumulated on the road. When you are driving on a windy day, be aware of your surroundings when you are driving through an area thick with trees. If there is a vehicle ahead of you, try to leave a wide berth so that something that vehicle kicks up does not catch the wind and end up flying into your vehicle instead.
If you do sustain damage to your windshield this fall, contact a windshield repair service immediately.
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