Is It Illegal to Drive With a Cracked Windscreen in Australia?

Is it illegal to drive with a cracked windscreen in Australia? A cracked windscreen is more than an inconvenience. Depending on the damage's size and location, it can compromise your vehicle's safety.

While exact requirements vary between Australian states, driving with a cracked windscreen is illegal if it obstructs your view or makes the vehicle unroadworthy.

Is it illegal to drive with a cracked windscreen?

It depends on the size, location, and severity of the damage.

Not all windscreen damage automatically makes a vehicle illegal. However, you should repair any chip or crack as soon as possible. Daily driving hazards like road vibrations, potholes, and temperature shifts can quickly spread a small chip. As a result, a straightforward repair can easily turn into a costly replacement.

What happens if your windscreen is considered unsafe?

Driving with an unsafe windscreen may result in:

• A vehicle defect notice

• Failing a roadworthy or safety inspection

• Being required to repair the damage before driving

• Reduced visibility and increased safety risks

Although the road rules vary slightly between Australian states and territories, they all require vehicles to be safe and roadworthy. If a cracked windscreen affects the driver’s visibility or compromises the safety of the vehicle, it may no longer meet these requirements.

Are the rules the same across Australia?

Each state and territory sets its own roadworthiness rules. Despite these slight differences, they all share the same goal: keeping drivers safe.

Therefore, whether you live in NSW, Victoria, or Queensland, you must fix severe damage. If a crack affects your visibility or structural safety, you must repair or replace the windscreen before driving legally.

Repair windscreen damage before it spreads

Don't wait for a small chip to become a legal or safety issue. If you repair the damage early, you can save your original factory-fitted windscreen and avoid expensive replacements.

The UFIXIT Windscreen Repair Kit permanently fixes chips, bullseyes, and cracks up to 300 mm. We specifically designed this kit for harsh Australian conditions. Because of this, thousands of Australian motorists trust UFIXIT to keep them safe on the road.