“If you’re driving with a crack in your windshield, is it legal for a police officer to stop you just because it’s cracked?
“No,” the court said in its review of the case of James Poehler, who was stopped in 2016 by Cambridge, Minn., police officer Mathew Giese because of the windshield. He was also not wearing a seat belt and a breathalyzer showed he was drunk, even though he was driving on a restricted license that prohibited him from using drugs or alcohol.”
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One of the key requirements of this ruling is that the crack does not obstruct the driver’s vision. If that is the case, then you can be pulled over because of that infraction. However, it would be extremely difficult for an officer to make that determination on a moving vehicle.
It’s important to realize that a driver can still be pulled over for other reasons and that cracked windshield can be added to the report. Such as the case if the police have reason to believe a driver is under the influence. So while this ruling gives a little wiggle room for people holding off getting their windshield fix, it shouldn’t be an excuse for delaying repairs.
At Advantage Auto Glass, our professionals can repair small cracks and dings precisely and quickly. Call 612-343-8984 or visit our windshield repair page for more information.
