How long can you drive with a broken windshield? What to do when you notice this breakdown

Some drivers tend to ignore this problem, but Romanian law does not allow you to drive with a broken windshield. This is considered a safety feature of the car. Here’s what to do when you notice this damage and how long you have to replace it.

In the past, the windshield of a car was made of ordinary glass, with a greater or lesser thickness.

Currently, however, this element is considered a vehicle safety element. Thus, a specially treated and laminated glass is used, which is much more resistant.

And the main advantage is that when it breaks, it does not fall and does not produce dangerous fragments for the occupants of the car.

What to do when you find that your windshield is broken

If the windshield is broken as a result of a traffic incident, drivers are required to:

• notify the police, if a person was injured in the accident;
• go to a police station to report the incident if:
  • no people were injured;
  • only the car with the damaged windshield was involved in the incident;
  • 3 or more vehicles were involved;
  • damage was caused to a third party;
• to conclude an amicable finding, if another vehicle was involved in the incident.

Also, if the windshield was broken by a stone thrown by the wheel of another vehicle, or you simply found the broken windshield in the parking lot, you should go to the police.

Because any damage to the vehicle can only be repaired with a police report. Or if a finding was made by the insurance company

How long can you drive with a broken windshield?

If the damage to the windshield is minor, for example a point where the glass has bounced, then it is not considered major damage. And not even if a crack appears in a corner of the glass.

But if the damage is significant and the crack affects a large area of ​​the windshield, then it must be replaced.

And because it is necessary to obtain a permit to carry out this repair, then drivers have 30 days to replace the windshield, from the moment the document was issued. In addition, the law states that all drivers have 24 hours to report a traffic incident.

So, from the point of view of the law, drivers can drive for a maximum of 31 days with a broken windshield. Of course, if the damage is major.