Got your seat belt fastened, plenty of safety features such as anti-lock brakes and enough air bags for your protection in a crash? Don’t forget to check your vehicle’s windshield, too, which also plays a pivotal role in automobile safety, AAA warns.

Windshields support the roof of your vehicle, thereby preserving the structural integrity of the passenger compartment and keeping it from collapsing and crushing the driver and any passengers. When combined with using a seat belt, windshields also protect you from being ejected during head-on collisions, rollovers and crashes.

A maintained windshield is vital, since research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that windshield integrity might be a crucial factor in surviving a crash. The NHTSA reports that more than 40,000 people are killed and 5 million are injured in highway crashes. Notably, more than 30 percent of these incidents are caused by passengers being ejected from the vehicle or injured during rollovers.

With this in mind, AAA encourages drivers with cracked or damaged windshields to seek the advice of an auto glass technician who is certified by the National Glass Association (NGA). You may find the NGA-certified technician nearest you by visiting www.myautoglass.org.

This is especially important since no laws govern windshield replacement. An improperly replaced windshield could, and sometimes does, become detached from the vehicle during airbag deployment, from the force of a collision or when the car rolls or flips over. With the windshield displaced, the effectiveness of the vehicle’s safety response system is seriously compromised.

There are thousands of responsible auto glass companies that perform high-quality, safe windshield replacement, and some that do not. How can you tell the difference? The NGA recommends that consumers ask prospective auto glass service providers if they:

•Have NGA-certified technicians
•Endorse the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS)
•Use the manufacturers’ recommended urethane adhesive
•Review the dos and don’ts of post-installation usage with customers

During the installation process, you should also watch to see if the technician checks for a passenger-side airbag and uses urethane-rated glass. The technician should remove the old sealant, leaving an approximately 1/16-inch bonding surface. Technicians should also wear gloves to avoid contaminating the bonding surfaces—both the glass and the area on the vehicle where the glass is to be set should be clean and primed.

The NGA also recommends that you ask to see the manufacturer’s expiration date on all preps, primers and adhesives that will be used during the windshield replacement. If any of these materials are dated past the expiration date, do not allow the installation to begin until the technician finds acceptable materials. If the installation is already in process, ask that the technician stop and start the installation again from scratch after all bonding surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned.

After the installation is complete, inspect the work carefully. From outside the vehicle, check to see if:

•The windshield is perfectly centered on the car
•The distance between the left side and the right side of the windshield and the auto body is the same
•The molding fits around the circumference of the windshield and there are no visible gaps
•The molding is flat and the glass is flush to the vehicle’s body. This is probably the most important element. To be done properly, windshield replacement requires the use of the best materials technology can provide and the skills of highly trained and detail-oriented technicians.

If you are seeking a qualified facility to repair or replace your windshield, AAA recommends you seek one with NGA-certified technicians, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) quality replacement glass and adhesives and convenient mobile service at home or work. For more information, visit www.myautoglass.org.