Summer is usually a great time to drive, with no ice, fog or gloomy days to deal with. But there are still dangers that can lead to you needing to have your windscreens replaced or repaired, from stone chippings to collisions in heavy traffic.

Whatever time of year it is, you need to be prepared for the conditions you will face on the road. While you won’t have to worry about wintry conditions and will be less likely to face floods, you may still face a range of challenges when driving in summer. These include:

•       Glare
•       More heavy traffic
•       More pedestrians and cyclists on the road
•       Stone chippings laid down in roadworks flying up as motorists drive over them

These are all listed by the AA among the hazards of driving in summer, with stone chippings capable of damaging windscreens, as well as paintwork.

However, the other issues should be considered as well, as they all increase the likelihood of a collision, which may lead to your windscreen being damaged along with other parts of the car.

Apart from this, general road safety is declining, with new government figures showing deaths and serious injuries on the roads rose by four per cent in 2025.

What Should You Do If Your Windscreen Gets Cracked?

If you suffer minor damage to a windscreen, it can be tempting to ignore it, but this can get worse. A small crack will start widening when the cold weather comes around, eventually causing the windscreen to break.

Furthermore, if any windscreen damage impedes your view, this could get you into trouble. If you are stopped, you could incur a three-point penalty and a fine for unsafe driving.

If your MOT is coming up, a cracked windscreen could cause your car to fail it. Data published last year revealed that 8.5 per cent of MOT failures are caused by windscreen damage.

This means that you need to be prepared for the potential dangers of summer driving, including driving more slowly on roads with loose chippings.

In the meantime, any damage you do sustain should be assessed quickly to prevent it from getting worse and you from getting into trouble.