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Birds and windshields typically have a very violent relationship towards one another. Birds can cause serious damage by leaving their droppings on a windshield. However, the windshield can kill the bird if the animal can't get out of the way and hits it. What kind of damage does this cause the windshield and how much does it cost to repair?
Sometimes, Birds Can't Avoid Cars
So why do 80 million birds die by windshield impact every year in America? They simply can't react fast enough. While birds do have special senses that alert them when they are in danger while flying, the high-speeds of cars don't give them enough time to react. It's not as if the bird doesn't recognize the source of danger, it's just that the danger is moving too fast for the bird to avoid it.
Such impacts are almost always invariably fatal for the bird. But what kind of damage do they cause to a windshield? They can cause serious cracks and even breaks in the windshield. How is this possible? The pressure exerted by such an impact is surprisingly high.
That Impact Can Devastate Glass
Even a small bird impacting a windshield can cause serious damage that requires immediate repair. For example, a study of airplane and bird collisions found that a 12-pound bird hitting an airplane windshield created a half-ton or 1,000 pounds of pressure if the plane was flying at speeds of 150 miles per hour. Obviously, a car won't be driving at those kinds of speeds.
By dropping the speed by half and retaining the same bird weight, you get about 500 pounds of pressure exerted on a single spot. That is easily more than enough to cause at least a crack in a windshield, particularly if the bird is larger than the 12 pounds mentioned above.
Repairs Are Essential
So when a bird strikes a windshield and causes a crack, how much will it cost to repair? That all depends on multiple factors. For example, the size of the crack and its location will influence the cost. Larger cracks located near the center of the glass may require more expensive repairs than smaller ones near the edge. A good estimate is that it should cost about $70 for basic repairs and up to $500 for replacement.
The cost variance here will also be influenced by the type of repairs. Small cracks at the edge of the windshield may be repaired by a small amount of glass filler. However, the large cracks likely caused by a full-on collision with a bird may require complete auto glass replacement.
Whatever the cost, it is important to get the windshield repaired as soon as possible. Even small cracks can quickly grow into larger ones. Catching cracks while they are small protects a windshield and keeps another bird strike from resulting in a total windshield failure.
For more information, you will want to contact a company such as FB Glass.
Share18 June 2017
