It was the last day of 2018. Nick and his pregnant wife were in their car, heading towards Woodlands on the BKE. As they approached the Rifle Range Flyover above them, they heard a loud crash. Next they knew, the car windscreen had shattered. It took some time for them to figure out what had happened. Apparently, a flying rock hit windshield on highway with such great force that the glass shattered.
"I thought my engine exploded or something like that."
"My wife and I were shocked at the gaping hole and cracks left on the windscreen. Dust and glass particles were already irritating our eyes a bit, and we sustained some scratches," Nick recounts to Stomp.
Flying rock hit windshield on highway in Singapore
The incident apparently happened on 31 December 2018, at around 2:30 pm.
According to Nick, "It was too sudden! Out of the blue!" His wife, who is 6 months pregnant, was in the passenger seat.
Nick immediately informed his car insurance company, who brought them to safety to a carpark at Dairy Farm Nature Park. There, they waited for a tow truck to get the car to the workshop.
It was only at the carpark did Nick discover that a big rock was the culprit. It was found on the floor behind the driver's seat.
There were no heavy vehicles ahead when they were driving, so the source of the flying rock remains a mystery.
"My wife and I were utterly shocked at the size of the rock! I realised we could have died that day," he recalls to Stomp.
"Thank God nothing happened to my wife..."
Nick shudders to think what could have happened... It was sheer luck that the rock had smashed into the steering wheel first, if it had hit his hand or other body parts, things would have been different.
"My steering wheel bore the full force of the flying rock. Otherwise, I believe my neck or chest would have been smashed in.
"If my left hand had been on the part of the steering wheel that was struck and bent inwards, I would have lost my left hand", he tells Stomp.
He is also thankful that the rock had not hit his wife, "Thank God nothing happened to her. There might have been a different outcome if it was one second slower or faster."
Nick believes that hitting the steering wheel first may have diluted the impact and altered the rock's trajectory.
"It could have been anyone. Imagine if the rock had hit a motorcyclist on the head? Imagine if there had been another person/child in the rear seats? No one could have avoided that.
"It was a scary experience. We didn't die, but the last day of 2018 could also have been the last day of our lives", he says.
Not the first time a rock hit windshield on highway
In case you are wondering if Nick has been over imagining things, a number of incidents involving flying rocks have been reported all over the world. Sadly, in many cases, the victims were not as fortunate.
In 2012, a mum in Canada was killed after she was hit by a rock that smashed through the windshield of her family vehicle.
In 2017, a woman in New Zealand was taken to hospital after a rock the size of a football came flying through her windscreen and into her face. She suffered two broken teeth in the incident.
In Singapore, in 2016, a GrabCar driver was taking a passenger to Clementi Camp on the AYE, when a rock smashed through his windscreen. The rock shattered the passenger side of the windscreen, leaving a hole where it landed and bits of glass all over the front passenger seat. Thankfully, the passenger had been sitting in the rear seat.
If your car windscreen was shattered by a rock while you were driving, here is what you should do:
If your windscreen was shattered by a rock, the first thing that you will want to do is pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. Check if everyone is alright.
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Check the condition of the windscreen
Assess the damage to your windshield. Take pictures too, as your insurance company may request for them later.
You may also want to note the following facts about your windshield damage:
- Exact location of windshield hit
- Date of incident
- Exact time of incident
- Speed of your vehicle
- Weather and visibility conditions of the road
- License plates of any responsible drivers
- Witnesses at scene
If the windshield has been shattered, it is best not to drive the car, as your vision will be affected and it is easy for a shattered windshield to break apart, and for shards to start raining on the driver.
It is best to have your car towed to a workshop or service centre.
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Replacing your windshield
If there is a large crack in the windshield, or it is shattered, there is no way to repair it. It will need to be completely replaced.
Contact your auto insurance company before you begin working with your service centre, to find out if you are covered and what proof you may be required to submit before the repair begins.
If you have video from a dash camera or other device, make a few copies for your insurance company, the authorities, and any companies involved. Keep the original video in a safe place.
Also READ: This Singapore dad delivered his baby in a car, on the CTE!!!
(Source: Stomp)
