I’m sure you’re aware that your motor vehicle has air bags and that their main job is to protect you, particularly your head. In the unfortunate event of an accident.

However, I’m just as certain that the majority of drivers are not aware of the impact of a damaged windscreen on their air bags.

Airbags form part of the safety restraint system of your vehicle and are designed to deploy against the windscreen, guiding it into the correct position thus protecting you.

If your windscreen is damaged, your safety restraint system may not operate as it should…or at all.

Some US based statistics describe how more than 30 percent of fatalities occur as a result of occupants being either ejected from their vehicle or injured during roll-overs. A damaged windscreen can be the direct cause of this.

Your windscreen supports the roof of your vehicle and when your windscreen is damaged, the support system of your vehicle is compromised…this is when serious injury or death occurs – as a result of ‘crushing’.

While the main method of restraint is your seat belt, your airbag is just as important, given that its focus is to protect you from head-related injury.

One of the most common injuries resulting from airbag failure is traumatic brain injury. This makes sense when you consider the severe impact on your head when it collides with your windscreen without the intervention of an air bag.

Your airbag is designed to inflate toward you. However, when the windscreen is cracked or chipped, it is significantly weakened and when the air bag inflates, it may push the windscreen out thus inflating away from you. It’s not difficult to imagine the implications on your safety when this occurs.

Your windscreen, seat belts and airbags are designed to work together to protect you from injury.  If any one of them is damaged, it reduces your overall safety and increases the likelihood of serious injury.

Prevention is always better than cure! Have your motor vehicle’s windscreen checked by an experienced and professional Windscreen Technician. I accept that we can’t eliminate the possibility of an accident, however, a safety check will give you peace of mind that you’ve done all you can to protect yourself and your family.

Don’t Mess with your Insurance

Are you aware that vehicle defects potentially affect your comprehensive insurance? In the event of an accident – particularly serious accident, insurance companies often investigate the cause. If your vehicle is found to have been defective AND that defect caused the accident, you may not be covered.

This not only affects your health and financial well-being, if other people are involved in the accident, it may also affect their health and financial well-being.

The moral of this story is… don’t mess around with your insurance by neglecting your vehicle’s safety. It could cost you big time – impacting your entire life and the lives of others.

Your windscreen is an integral part of your vehicle’s safety restraint system and when it’s defective, your safety is endangered.

However, on the positive side, the solution is simple. Contact a professional and highly skilled Windscreen Technician to arrange a safety inspection. I conduct these inspections free of charge AND I’ll also carry out a ‘7 Point Safety Check’ to give you the peace of mind that you have done everything you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Whether it’s your car, van or truck, we offer windscreen repair and replacement throughout the Gold Coast and Yatala region.