Q&A - Replacing Glass with Plastic

Q&A ImageLast time my mother in law visited from Alberta she took a rock which shattered her rear window of her car. After receiving an estimate from a local glass company she pled instead to cover the window with a piece of plastic (the glass shop did this for her). She is not financially able to have it repaired and now wants to come back for a visit with her car. My question is "Is this legal in BC?" Will she get a ticket if she is caught? I know that this is also really dangerous and would prefer if she did not come at all unless it is fixed....Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

The Motor Vehicle Act Regulations say that this is not supposed to be done:

Windshield and windows, replacing glass

7.05(4) No person shall replace, or cause to be replaced, any glass in a door or windshield or window of a motor vehicle or a camper except with safety glass, provided that glass replaced in a windshield of a motor vehicle shall not be heat treated or case hardened glass.

So, yes, it is possible that she could get a ticket for driving the vehicle like this. However, if it attracted any attention at all, I suspect that in her case it would be an order to repair the vehicle. The choice would be made by the officer at the roadside.

That’s a new twist on avoiding mother in law visits.

i jest.