Woman's Windshield Gets Cracked By A Rock. Then, Weeks Later, The Temperature Changes: 'It Was The Tiniest Little Crack'

A woman whose windshield was cracked by road debris learned the hard way why she should have fixed it sooner rather than later. Now she's warning others not to make the same mistake.

Adya Soul (@adyasoul) recently shared the consequences of postponing her windshield repair.

“I just learned an expensive lesson and I want to share so you don’t have to do the same thing. A rock flew off of a truck and hit my windshield. It was like the tiniest little crack. So I didn’t deal with it for a couple of weeks. I was just like, oh, it’s a bummer. And I thought maybe I could just roll with it,” she says in a TikTok.

Adya continues, “And then I drove through a town where the temperature changed drastically at night. And that little tiny divot split across my windshield. And now it is quite an expensive repair. I should’ve gotten the little nick patched up. And not just rolled with it,” she says.

What Causes Windshield Cracks To Expand?

The reason why windshield cracks expand all boils down to the laws of thermodynamics.

Glass Doctor reports, “As temperatures in many areas drop … you have to be careful the wintry weather doesn’t cause the crack to spread.” The glass repair/replacement company further notes that when temperatures drop “below freezing, a crack in your windshield is 60% more likely to increase in size.”

The business explains that colder weather causes windshields to contract. Conversely, hotter temperatures cause the glass to expand, so a “sudden change in temperature … can result in further damage.” 

Due to this common phenomenon, Glass Doctor recommends fixing windshield cracks sooner rather than later.

Other Factors that Cause Windshield Glass Cracks to Spread

In addition to temperature fluctuations, other variables can cause windshield cracks to spread.

According to glass and tint company 2U, driving conditions play a part. These reportedly include “rough roads, sudden jolts, and vibrations from driving.” Additionally, the auto repair provider says that “the continuous stress from these conditions weakens the glass further.”

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Even slamming your car door repeatedly or driving over potholes can cause vibrations that increase the likelihood of the windshield glass breaking apart.

Another factor that could contribute to the exacerbation of windshield nicks is how the glass panel itself was installed. 2U states that, while “modern windshields are constructed to provide structural integrity and minimize damage,” a bad installation job could make it easier for debris to break a windshield.

How Common Is Windshield Damage?

According to Investigate TV, the most common auto damage claim filed by drivers is for windshield damage. Insurance Journal further reports that approximately 7.5 million claims are filed every single year from drivers whose windshields are damaged.

They’re so prevalent, in fact, that Insurance Journal reports that 30% of all auto insurance claims are for damaged windshields. And of these claims, cracks around the edges of windshields are the most prevalent: more than one-third of every windshield auto claim is due to edge cracks.

According to Insurance Journal, the prevalence is linked to a fundamental design flaw in windshield production. “Edge cracks occur because the first two inches around the perimeter of windshields have a manufacturing defect known as ‘residual stresses,'" it writes.

Unfortunately, these stresses are a core part of how windshields are made during what Insurance Journal calls “the annealing process.” This point is so weak that even a pinhole-sized nick could easily spread throughout the windshield by more than six inches, “almost immediately,” the site says.

Commenters Sound Off

Several people who responded to Adya’s video said that they, too, are no strangers to the hardships of driving with a cracked windshield.

One commenter didn’t think that driving with a spider web of cracks was a big deal. “Hear me out … you just learn to live with the whole crack across your windshield. Been going for a few years now with mine. Hasn’t cost me a dime yet," they wrote.

Others stated that most car insurance companies should cover glass repairs on cars. One stressed the importance of choosing a plan that covers it.

“100% recommend a $0 glass deductible!” they wrote.

Adya didn't respond to a direct message sent via TikTok. We'll update this post if she responds.

 

 

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