If you commute on I-4, the 408, or the 417, your windshield lives a harder life than most. Highway construction zones and heavy truck traffic mean more loose aggregate on the road surface — and every vehicle ahead of you is a potential catapult.
Where the Rocks Actually Come From
Most highway chips are not from trucks dropping their load directly. They come from small stones that settle into tire treads, get carried down the road, and are flung out at speed. That is why damage often happens with no dump truck in sight.Habits That Save Windshields
- Increase following distance. Debris loses speed quickly once airborne. The car three seconds ahead of you cannot throw a stone at your glass nearly as hard as the one half a second ahead.
- Change lanes away from haulers. If you can see loose material in a truck bed, do not sit behind it — pass decisively or drop back.
- Watch the lane surface in work zones. Fresh milling and lane shifts leave loose aggregate near the edges. Center your lane position away from gravel lines.
- Slow down when traffic kicks up spray or dust. Whatever is in the air is headed for your glass.