Typically it is illegal to operate a vehicle with any sort of windshield crack that can hinder your vision (small or large). However, laws regarding this vary from state to state. If your state requires vehicle inspections it’s likely your car will not pass the inspection if you have a windshield cracked or broken on the passenger side. If your state doesn’t require auto inspections there’s probably a law or statute in place that makes it illegal to have a broken windshield.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety:
- “Windshield cracks at any length may be present anywhere within the six inch border that surrounds the outside edge of a windshield. This border measurement is taken on the outside of the glass from the edge where the glass and the molding meet.
- The area of the windshield that falls on the inside of this border is known as the acute area. Any crack that extends into the acute area by more than one inch will not pass a safety inspection. Also, any damage or repairs in this acute area that exceeds one inch in length or diameter will also not pass a safety inspection.”
If you’re living in Utah and have any questions regarding this subject you can contact the Safety Inspection Section at (801) 965-4889 Option 1. If you don’t know the laws in your state contact your local DMV or online public safety services.
At Expert Auto Glass, we understand that a car with a damaged windshield may be unsafe to drive or that you simply don’t have time to wait for repairs at a shop: that’s why we ALWAYS COME TO YOU either at your work, home or place of business. And you never pay extra for our convenient mobile service. We also will pay YOU cold hard cash for any insurance repair claim: call us for details. Don’t wait till the problem gets worse: Call the Utah Auto Glass Experts today!