SAFE DRIVE-AWAY TIME: WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
When you have your windshield replaced, quality technicians will give you a very important measure—something called “safe drive away time.” More info on safe drive away time is crucial as it describes how long after the windshield is replaced that the car must sit before you will be able to drive the vehicle safely. Understanding safe drive away time helps ensure that the windshield is properly set before you resume driving.
The safedrive away time for your vehicle will vary depending on what type of adhesive or glue the technician uses to install your windshield. While a number of adhesives offer a safe drive away time as low as 30 minutes, others require that the vehicle be parked for several hours after the windshield is replaced. More info on safe drive away time is determined by a variety of factors, including the type of adhesive, temperature, humidity, and other conditions at the time of replacement.
Why It’s Crucial for Vehicle Safety
Your technician should take all of these factors into consideration before informing you of the proper and safe drive away time. There are recorded instances where passengers have been ejected from the vehicle due to indifference to the published safe drive away times for specific adhesives and climate conditions. If your vehicle were to be involved in a collision or accident before the safe drive away time has been achieved, the windshield might not remain in place in the event of a crash.
The windshield is an important structural safety feature of your vehicle. Not only is it important that the windshield remain bonded and attached during a collision to keep passengers contained within the vehicle compartment, but the windshield provides the necessary support for the airbags when deployed. Without this support, airbags can be rendered ineffective. The windshield also provides structural support to the vehicle’s roof in the event of a rollover accident. Without the windshield in place, the roof could potentially collapse on you and/or your passengers. Be sure to ask your windshield replacement technician for specific details on when the vehicle is safe to be driven after your windshield is replaced. It could save your life.
The Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) is the not-for-profit organization dedicated to the safe replacement of auto glass. The AGSC was founded and is supported by companies in the auto glass replacement industry that keep safe installation as their primary goal and is an accredited American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards development organization.
It has developed North America’s only auto glass replacement standard, the AGRSS™ Standard (ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ 003-2015 Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standard), which addresses procedures, education, and product performance. For more info on safe drive-away time, refer to these standards to ensure the proper guidelines are followed. Remember, more info on safe drive-away time can be crucial for your safety. Always consult your technician for detailed info on safe drive-away times.
How Soon Can I Drive the Car after My Car Windshield has been Replaced?
Perhaps the most bitter-sweet truth that car owners are aware of is the importance of a windshield – that one piece of glass that can render multiple safety functions against external elements and impact. However, the bitter part is knowing how easy it is for the windshield to suffer damage – at the hands of flying rocks or tossed debris or more serious causes like an unfortunate accident. Depending upon the intensity of the damage, chips or cracks may appear on the windshield, leaving it aesthetically and functionally crippled.
Most minor chips that do not exceed 40mm in diameter can easily be repaired by trained technicians. However, if your windshield has a crack, then a car windshield replacement becomes mandatory. When it comes to car windshield replacement, a common question for a lot of car owners is “How long will it be before I can drive the car?” The time taken for car windshield replacement includes not just the installation time but also the curing time of the adhesive; together, technicians assign a minimum drive away time – something which all car owners must comply with for successful replacement
What is Minimum Drive-Away Time?
The terminology ‘minimum safe drive away time’ refers to the minimum time that your car needs to sit after windshield repair or installation before it can be operational again. This time refers to the duration it takes for the adhesives used for car windshield replacement to cure and harden properly. The minimum drive away time depends on several factors, the most important being the type of adhesive and glass used for replacement. Moreover, the outside temperature, weather conditions, and the humidity level also play a crucial role in determining the duration of time it will take for curing or hardening of the adhesive.
The adhesive curing time is faster during the summer season owing to the warm temperature and high humidity levels of the air. This means you can use your vehicle sooner. However, as the temperature gradually falls, the adhesives cur The car windshield replacement technician will take all of these factors into consideration when determining an appropriate drive-away time for your car and will inform you the same.
Dangers of Driving Your Car Immediately after Windshield Replacement
If your windshield technician gives you the ‘go-ahead’ to drive your car as soon as the car windshield replacement has been performed, you may find complications or defects with the windshield in the long run. Your newly-installed windshield is held in place by the adhesive, which is why you must give it sufficient time to set and dry. Making haste in driving your car will only lead to more significant problems in the future, such as shifting of the windshield glass. If this happens, you’re looking at a mandatory replacement and high costs.
A faulty windshield can also easily pop out during an accident, leaving you with no protection whatsoever. Not adhering to the proper minimum safe drive away time can also cause the car’s roof to cave in during heavy impact as the windshield renders structural support to your car. Also, a defective windshield will fail to protect passengers from being ejected in case of a head-on collision. And finally, forget about proper airbag deployment at the time of need; an improperly-installed windshield will not facilitate it. Therefore, a faulty, ill-fitted or structurally-weak windshield cannot perform any of the safety functions for which it is installed.