Will a Chipped or Cracked Windscreen Fail a Roadworthy in Queensland?
I inspected this Volkswagen Golf in Crestmead today. The owner called me beforehand worried about a small chip in the windscreen. It turned out to be minor and well outside the driver’s line of sight – no problem. But windscreen damage is one of the most common questions I get, so here are the actual rules.
Cracks that go all the way through
If a crack penetrates through to the inside of the windscreen, it fails. No matter where it is and no matter how small. Run your finger along the inside surface of the glass – if you can feel the crack on the inside, it’s a fail regardless of location.
Chips and cracks in the primary vision area
The primary vision area is the right half of the windscreen – the section directly in front of the driver, where the wipers sweep. This is the zone with the strictest rules:
Cracks longer than 150mm in this area fail.
Bull’s eye or star fractures larger than 16mm diameter in this area fail.
Smaller chips and cracks under these limits will generally pass, as long as they don’t block the driver’s view.
Damage that affects the wipers
Any chip, crack, or fracture anywhere on the windscreen – even outside the primary vision area – that has a sharp edge which catches and damages the wiper blades will fail. If your wipers are snagging or tearing on a rough edge, that needs sorting out regardless of where the damage is.
What about repaired chips and cracks?
A repaired chip or crack is assessed under the same rules as an unrepaired one. The repair doesn’t give it a free pass.
If the repair has been done well and the area is clear, that’s fine. But some repairs leave a milky, cloudy, or opaque patch. If that patch is in the primary vision area and you can’t see through it clearly, it fails – even if a glass shop calls it a professional repair.
I’ve seen repairs that are practically invisible. I’ve also seen repairs that leave a white blob the size of a 50 cent coin right in front of the driver’s eyes. The quality of the repair matters.
Fix small chips early
This is the practical advice. A small chip today can become a long crack tomorrow. Temperature changes, vibrations from driving, and even closing the car door can cause a chip to spread across the windscreen. A chip repair costs around $50-100. A full windscreen replacement costs $300-500 or more.
Small chips can also develop sharp edges over time that damage your wiper blades. Now you’ve got two problems instead of one.
If you notice a chip, get it filled sooner rather than later. Most mobile windscreen repair services will come to you and do it in 20 minutes.
The insurance angle
This is worth knowing. If your windscreen has a crack or chip that’s outside the roadworthy limits but still affects visibility, and you’re involved in an accident, it can be used against you. The argument is that your visibility was impaired and you could have reacted differently if the windscreen was clear. Insurance companies look for any reason to reduce or deny a claim – a damaged windscreen gives them one.
Even if your windscreen technically passes a roadworthy, if it’s affecting your ability to see clearly, fix it for your own safety.
