The highways in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C seem to always be under construction. Rocks and other debris from construction can be kicked up and crack or chip your windshield. If or when this happens, you may need to replace or repair your vehicle’s windshield.
The windshield plays a crucial role in maintaining the structural integrity of a vehicle. Even minor cracks or chips can compromise its strength, potentially leading to a higher risk of collapse or shattering during an accident. Repairing the windshield ensures that your vehicle maintains its original factory seal and provides optimal protection against water or mold damage. 
A crack or chip in your windshield can also cause you to fail a yearly state inspection. Virginia state law requires any cracks in the windshield longer than an inch and a half to be fixed or the windshield to be replaced. Maryland is even stricter with this law, as the crack cannot be more than half an inch, or the vehicle will fail inspection. A damaged windshield can obstruct your view, creating blind spots and reducing visibility, especially when driving in adverse weather conditions. These laws and safety inspections are to help keep the roads safe and prevent accidents.
Getting a crack or chip in the windshield repaired quickly is extremely important, as changes in temperature or road vibrations can cause cracks to spread or worsen over time. If not caught in time, this could lead to needing a full windshield replacement, which is more costly. Some insurance policies even cover repairing your windshield, which could be done at little to no cost if you have this coverage in your policy. Using a reputable company, such as Safelite, is extremely important. They have trained technicians that know how to treat and fix the damage as quickly as possible. In most cases using resin and specific tools, they are able to repair a windshield in around 30 minutes.
Overall, repairing your windshield is extremely important maintenance task as it keeps your vehicle safer, less susceptible to water damage, and cheaper than replacing the windshield all together.