Everything you need to know about driving with a cracked windscreen

HAVING a small crack on the windscreen of your car can end up costing a fortune.

But can you even drive with a cracked windscreen and how much does it cost to repair it?

1

Can you drive with a cracked windscreen?

It may be illegal to drive with a cracked windscreen.

However that depends on the crack.

By law drivers need to have a clear view of the road.

Any blockages of that view can result in a fixed penalty.

Can you be fined for driving with a cracked windscreen?

The fixed penalty for driving with a cracked windscreen is three points on your driving licence and a fine.

When police catches you driving with a cracked windscreen, they may also give you a Vehicle Defect Rectification Notice.

The notice requires you to fix the cracked windscreen within fourteen days.

And the police will need prove that the windscreen was fixed.

There is also the risk of getting charged with a driving offence, if having an accident and being responsible for it.

If it’s a serious accident, you could be taken to court and may find yourself banned from driving.

Is a windscreen replacement expensive and are there alternatives to repair damaged windscreens?

It is not expensive to replace a windscreen.

However it varies from the damage itself how much the repair costs.

You should expect to pay between £50 and £70 and these repairs are often covered by car insurance.

It is important to get damage looked at right away, since if the damage gets bigger, the chance is high that the price will increase.

Replacing the entire windscreen can be cost around £100 or more depending the car type.

Luxury vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, or Porsche can costs around £400 to £500, if the whole windscreen needs to be replaced.

If the crack is small, you can fix the screen without needing to get an expert to look at it.

It is possible to repair the windscreen with a chip repair kit.

These repair kits varies around £7 to £15 on Amazon UK.