There are varying types of windshield cracks, but most are triggered by an object that hits the windshield. Often small stones fall from the forepart of the truck or are thrown from the tires of another vehicle through the air. When an item strikes the outer edge of a windshield, a lengthy crack will usually result. If the impact is closer to the center of the disk, it leads to a so-called star break. This refers to many star-shaped starting from a central impact point small cracks.
Often the nature of a crack can be influenced by the impact point in the windshield. For example, a “central” crack always begins at some distance from the edge of the disk (more than six inches from the edge of the disk). Such a crack may initially be small and then expand in any direction. A “near-edge” crack usually arises at the moment of impact and is 25 to 30 inches long. As the name suggests, near-edge cracks usually begin in an area up to 6 inches from the edge of the disc as stated by this windshield repair business.
Often a break of the disk takes its beginning as small chipping. Generally speaking, cracks shorter than 5 centimeters can be repaired.
The Most Common Types of Cracks in Windscreens
Cow’s Eye: Circular glass damage caused by a stone or other object, typically with a funnel-shaped depression in the outer glass layer. It resembles chipping, in which, however, the glass pieces broken by the rockfall is smaller.
Chipping: Glass damage caused by the impact of a stone or other object that blows a small piece of glass from the windshield.
Near-edge Crack: A crack starting in area 6 centimeters from the edge of the pane or reaching the edge of the pane. It usually forms immediately upon impact and starts with a length of 2.5 to 3.0 centimeters.
Central Crack: A crack that starts in the middle of the windshield (somewhere outside the edge of 6 cm from the edge of the window)
Crescent Glass damage caused by a rock or other object that resembles a cow’s eye but does not form a complete circle.