This report describes the results of a survey on the replacement of windscreen glass made possible by the courtesy of a windscreen replacement company. Questionnaires on windscreen breakage were completed by 1493 drivers from late 1974 to late 1976. Reasons were given by the drivers for choosing either laminated or toughened windscreen glass when replacing broken screens at four branches of a company specialising in this type of work. The screens had mostly been damaged in service rather than in accident. Windscreen breakage occurred most frequently on 'a' class roads and motorways and road stones were reported as the most common cause. Nine out of ten drivers experienced no difficulty in stopping safely and only a small fraction of one per cent of those surveyed collided with anything after their windscreen shattered. Cost was the main reason stated for choosing toughened glass on replacement, laminated glass being on average 50 per cent more expensive than toughened. The main reason stated by drivers for choosing laminated glass was that it was considered to be safer, though a similar number mentioned either less likelihood of breakage or greater future convenience. The survey suggests that the rate of replacement of laminated screens is probably rather more than half that of toughened when usage is taken into account. The laminated screens appeared to be less liable to damage than toughened except on motorways. (Author/publisher)
Abstract