Can A Broken Windshield Get You A Ticket In Washington State?

I was running some errands this weekend in Kennewick when I saw a sight that couldn't be unseen.

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What's The Penalty For A Broken Windshield In Washington State?

I passed a barely running truck with a windshield smashed to bits with the door ducked taped on.

I was surprised to see that the rig was still running but even more surprised that the vehicle was still on the road and not ticketed.

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It got me thinking about the legalities of driving around the Tri-Cities with a smashed windshield and how this driver was getting away with it so I did a quick look at the law and here is what the legalities of driving around with a cracked windshield:

In Washington State, driving with a cracked windshield may be illegal depending on the severity and location of the crack according to WAC 204-10-024

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According to Washington State law, it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle with a windshield or other windows that have a crack or other defects that impair the driver's clear view of the roadway.

If the crack is within the driver's line of sight or more than three inches in diameter, the vehicle may be considered unsafe to drive and can result in a traffic citation.

Additionally, if the crack causes the windshield to be non-compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, it may also be considered illegal to drive.

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It's important to note that the interpretation of the severity of a crack can be subjective, and it's ultimately up to the discretion of the law enforcement officer to determine if a windshield is unsafe to drive with.

I'm sure going back to the original question of the article, the driver I spotted would have easily gotten ticketed with their spiderweb windshield but if you've got a little nick or crack and it doesn't interfere with your eyesight, you should be ok.

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