Why windshield replacement is the #1 insurance claim in the United States
For over two decades Windshield Replacement has been the number one insurance claim in the United States. Windshield Replacements have also caused injuries and deaths. With technology available that would prevent this problem, one would have to wonder why this position has not changed. Here are the facts:
SAFETY: Today windshields have evolved into critical safety devices performing multiple
functions in an accident to prevent injuries and death. Windshields not only prevent ejection
of the occupants but are also the backboard for the airbag, controlling twenty percent of the
“crash pulse” which tells the airbag when to go off. Once the original windshield is replaced
the “crash pulse” may be altered. Many replaced windshields cannot withstand the force of
the passenger side air bag, which puts five times more stress on the windshield in an
accident. Paramedics and Highway Patrol are seeing an increasing rate of blown out
windshields at accident scenes.
Windshields are also 40-70% of the roof support, which helps prevent roof crush in
an accident (rollovers are responsible for 30-40% of automobile deaths). For example, a
pick-up trucks’ roof is 70% windshield. Normally the airbag will go off before the vehicle rolls
over, however, if the windshield is gone, the roof will cave in seriously injuring or killing the
occupants. ABC’s 20/20 and FOX News investigations reported 80% of windshield
replacements were done incorrectly. The original factory installation and windshield cannot
be duplicated in the after market. Getting into an accident with a replaced windshield today is
like playing Russian roulette.
The U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that all new vehicles pass Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) performance tests. These tests ensure
vehicles maintain a minimum safety standard. Standards concerning windshields are:
FMVSS 212 measures windshield retention in a barrier crash. Every make and model
vehicle is accelerated to 30 mph and crashed head-on into a concrete barrier. The
automobile must retain 75 percent of the windshield along the pinchweld perimeter.
Some vehicle manufacturers require 100% retention in this severe crash test.
FMVSS 216 is the roof crush performance test. It measures the structural strength
required to protect occupants in the event the vehicle rolls over. One and one-half times
the unloaded vehicle weight or 6,000 lbs. (whichever is less) of force is applied at an
angle to the roof. The roof structure can depress no more than five inches to pass.
Note: the windshield provides 30-70% of the roof strength.
FMVSS 208 occupant crash protection specifies equipment requirements for active and
passive restraints, including air bags. There can be no separation of load-bearing safety assemblies in a 30 mph barrier crash. This pertains to the windshield because the
passenger side air bag deploys off the windshield in order to perform its safety function.
The Motor Vehicle Act, Section 1397 (a2a) states "No...dealer...or repair business shall
knowingly render inoperative, in whole or in part, any device or element of design
installed on or in a motor vehicle." In plain words, replacement shops must restore
vehicles to their original, safe condition.
The National Glass Association states that, ”proper windshield installation is as
important to your safety as seat belts, airbags and anti-lock brakes.” Windshield
replacements per the Independent Glass Association, National Glass Association,
ABC’s 20/20 and Fox News are known to be done incorrectly 70-80% of the time.
All of the windshield lawsuits to date were from deaths and injuries caused by a
replacement eliminating and/or compromising one or more of the FMVSS.
Logically speaking the safest solution to this problem is to prevent the replacement as
often as possible. Windshield rock chip repair will
preserve these safety standards by preventing a windshield replacement from altering
the original factory installation. Windshield repair technology could eliminate over 80% of
replacements
DEFECTS: Because of the way windshields are manufactured and mounted in vehicles,
the amount of stress around the outer 2" perimeter is significantly greater than inside that
area and will fracture 2.5 times easier than the rest of the windshield. Most replacements are
from an Edge Crack, which occurs because the first two inches around the outer perimeter of
windshields have three defects.
The first is a manufacturing defect known as "residual stress" which is created
during the molding and annealing process. This tensile stress is created by rapid,
differential rates of cooling to the perimeter of the windshield during the annealing process.
The edge or perimeter of the windshield sits on a metal frame as it comes out of the oven
into room temperature after being molded. While the edge starts to cool the metal frame is
still extremely hot, while the glass cools on the other side of the frame at another rate.
These three temperature clashes at the two inch edge area cause the cross linked
molecules to split. This has now become the weakest area of the windshield and will
fracture easier than the rest of the windshield. This stress is increased by imperfect mating
with a rigid steel windshield frame after installation.
The second defect, “induced stress” is additional stress added to the already weak
area when the windshield is installed into the vehicle body. The added stress is enough that
when an object, such as a pebble, hits this weakened area during the windshield’s normal,
intended and foreseeable use, it causes a pinhead size fracture to crack to over six inches in
length almost immediately. This stress is even worse in after market replaced windshield.
The third manufacturing defect is the common part of the windshield known as the
Frit. The Frit is the black ceramic paint on the inside of the windshield around the perimeter.
The Frit is intentionally made black, this black color enhances the stress by causing heat
expansion and temperature variance, which increases sensitivity, severity and length of
crack. This is why the majority of windshield replacements occur in June, July and August.
During these summer months it does not take much more than a grain of sand to crack this
area. An independent survey in Denver, Colorado found 77% of cracked windshields were
cracked at the edge with 86% originating in the Frit area.
For over two decades Windshield Replacement has been the number one insurance claim in the United States. Windshield Replacements have also caused injuries and deaths. With technology available that would prevent this problem, one would have to wonder why this position has not changed. Here are the facts:
SAFETY: Today windshields have evolved into critical safety devices performing multiple functions in an accident to prevent injuries and death. Windshields not only prevent ejection of the occupants but are also the backboard for the airbag, controlling twenty percent of the “crash pulse” which tells the airbag when to go off. Once the original windshield is replaced the “crash pulse” may be altered. Many replaced windshields cannot withstand the force of the passenger side air bag, which puts five times more stress on the windshield in an accident. Paramedics and Highway Patrol are seeing an increasing rate of blown out windshields at accident scenes.
Windshields are also 40-70% of the roof support, which helps prevent roof crush in an accident (rollovers are responsible for 30-40% of automobile deaths). For example, a pick-up trucks’ roof is 70% windshield. Normally the airbag will go off before the vehicle rolls over, however, if the windshield is gone, the roof will cave in seriously injuring or killing the occupants. ABC’s 20/20 and FOX News investigations reported 80% of windshield replacements were done incorrectly. The original factory installation and windshield cannot be duplicated in the after market. Getting into an accident with a replaced windshield today is like playing Russian roulette.
The U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that all new vehicles pass Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) performance tests. These tests ensure vehicles maintain a minimum safety standard. Standards concerning windshields are: FMVSS 212 measures windshield retention in a barrier crash. Every make and model vehicle is accelerated to 30 mph and crashed head-on into a concrete barrier. The automobile must retain 75 percent of the windshield along the pinchweld perimeter. Some vehicle manufacturers require 100% retention in this severe crash test. FMVSS 216 is the roof crush performance test. It measures the structural strength required to protect occupants in the event the vehicle rolls over. One and one-half times the unloaded vehicle weight or 6,000 lbs. (whichever is less) of force is applied at an angle to the roof. The roof structure can depress no more than five inches to pass. Note: the windshield provides 30-70% of the roof strength. FMVSS 208 occupant crash protection specifies equipment requirements for active and passive restraints, including air bags. There can be no separation of load-bearing safety assemblies in a 30 mph barrier crash. This pertains to the windshield because the passenger side air bag deploys off the windshield in order to perform its safety function. The Motor Vehicle Act, Section 1397 (a2a) states "No...dealer...or repair business shall knowingly render inoperative, in whole or in part, any device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle." In plain words, replacement shops must restore vehicles to their original, safe condition.
The National Glass Association states that, ”proper windshield installation is as important to your safety as seat belts, airbags and anti-lock brakes.” Windshield replacements per the Independent Glass Association, National Glass Association, ABC’s 20/20 and Fox News are known to be done incorrectly 70-80% of the time. All of the windshield lawsuits to date were from deaths and injuries caused by a replacement eliminating and/or compromising one or more of the FMVSS. Logically speaking the safest solution to this problem is to prevent the replacement as often as possible. Windshield rock chip repair will preserve these safety standards by preventing a windshield replacement from altering the original factory installation. Windshield repair technology could eliminate over 80% of replacements
DEFECTS: Because of the way windshields are manufactured and mounted in vehicles, the amount of stress around the outer 2" perimeter is significantly greater than inside that area and will fracture 2.5 times easier than the rest of the windshield. Most replacements are from an Edge Crack, which occurs because the first two inches around the outer perimeter of windshields have three defects. The first is a manufacturing defect known as "residual stress" which is created during the molding and annealing process. This tensile stress is created by rapid, differential rates of cooling to the perimeter of the windshield during the annealing process. The edge or perimeter of the windshield sits on a metal frame as it comes out of the oven into room temperature after being molded. While the edge starts to cool the metal frame is still extremely hot, while the glass cools on the other side of the frame at another rate. These three temperature clashes at the two inch edge area cause the cross linked molecules to split. This has now become the weakest area of the windshield and will fracture easier than the rest of the windshield. This stress is increased by imperfect mating with a rigid steel windshield frame after installation.
The second defect, “induced stress” is additional stress added to the already weak area when the windshield is installed into the vehicle body. The added stress is enough that when an object, such as a pebble, hits this weakened area during the windshield’s normal, intended and foreseeable use, it causes a pinhead size fracture to crack to over six inches in length almost immediately. This stress is even worse in after market replaced windshield.
The third manufacturing defect is the common part of the windshield known as the Frit. The Frit is the black ceramic paint on the inside of the windshield around the perimeter. The Frit is intentionally made black, this black color enhances the stress by causing heat expansion and temperature variance, which increases sensitivity, severity and length of crack. This is why the majority of windshield replacements occur in June, July and August. During these summer months it does not take much more than a grain of sand to crack this area. An independent survey in Denver, Colorado found 77% of cracked windshields were cracked at the edge with 86% originating in the Frit area.