Is it Legal to Drive with a Cracked Windscreen in the UK?

You may be tempted to carry on about your business if the car you’re driving suffers a chip or crack to the windscreen. However, you could be breaking the law and be levied with a substantial fine if stopped by the police. Why? The simple fact is, windscreen chips and cracks over a certain size pose a serious risk to you and other motorists. That’s why it’s crucial to contact a reputable windscreen repairer as soon as possible.

Cracked Windscreens

It is little known that the windscreen of a car is not a passive component. In fact, the windscreen is a stressed member, meaning it adds to the structural rigidity of the vehicle overall. This means damage to your windscreen is no laughing matter.
Because a crack or chip can grow to a significant size at any time, either due to air pressure changes or to temperature changes, it is imperative to have a repair or replacement carried out at the earliest convenience.

Windscreen Laws in the UK

It can be considered as a motoring offence to drive with a damaged windscreen. If stopped, you could be fined and receive 3 penalty points on your license for driving a car in a dangerous condition.
The Highway Code stipulates that the driver’s view should not be impeded by imperfections in the windscreen glass. In layman’s terms, a chip or crack could mean you are breaking The Highway Code. If a chip or crack is in your eyeline, common knowledge dictates that it will at some point distract you from the view ahead. This could potentially be fatal, which is why the law is there to prevent such accidents.

MOT Failure

If the dangers of a windscreen chip don’t convince you, then consider your next MOT bill. A crack of 40mm in length anywhere on the windscreen is an automatic fail. A chip or crack of 10mm or more in ‘zone A’ is also a reason for MOT failure. Zone A is within the driver’s direct line of vision and is a vertical strip 290mm in width, centred on the steering wheel.

It is far cheaper to have a windscreen repair carried out with your insurance provider and by a professional windscreen repair specialist. It is rare that MOT stations are equipped for windscreen repairs and you will have to arrange for the repair to be carried out before you can retest the vehicle. If there is a delay, then you will have to fork out for another MOT test, as the station may not offer a free retest on a different day to your initial MOT test date.

Screen-Tec Windscreens are specialists in both commercial and domestic windscreen repair and replacement, covering London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Middlesex and beyond! Our services are insurance approved and we work with leading insurers to save you time and money. All our technicians are fully trained and operate around the clock, so your vehicle is always safe to drive and free from chips and cracks on all of its windows. Contact us to find out more about our products and services or call us today!