It's that time of year again - cooler weather, less sunlight, and Fall Daylight Savings. In remembering to change the clocks back on October 30, drivers are encouraged to also change their wiper blades. Many drivers procrastinate when it comes to changing the wiper blades on their vehicles, but the American Optometric Association reports that 90 percent of driving decisions are based on visibility. Knowing that, all drivers should use Fall daylight savings as a cue to “change your clocks, change your wiper blades.”
Drivers can utilize this twice a year occurrence to visually inspect and replace wiper blades, especially if they are exposed to severe weather conditions on a regular basis. Temperature extremes, heavy precipitation and repetitive friction on a windshield have damaging effects on a wiper blade's performance over time. With the extremes in weather over the past several months, a blade's natural rubber will dry out and deteriorate. Heat can warp the rubber, and cold can make the blade become brittle.
“Drivers should carefully examine their blades for splits or discoloration of the rubber - all of which create streaking and a partially wiped windshield,” states James Croston, director of marketing for Trico Products. Noisy “chattering” also indicates blade deterioration, and is caused by overexposure to sunlight or infrequent wiper blade use. In any of the previously mentioned situations, it's time to change blades for the safety of all motorists on the road.
Historically, replacing wiper blades has not only been difficult to remember, but it's also been a physical challenge. In fact, research indicates that nearly 60 percent of drivers, who do not install their own wiper blades, cite difficult installation as the reason. In many cases, consumers become frustrated at the initial removal stage and use force to pry off the old blade, which subsequently leads to damaged hardware. Determining the correct adaptor and comprehending the difficult instructions only adds to the daunting task. Despite the decreased visibility and potential safety hazard of deteriorated wiper blades, consumers continue to neglect the idea of changing their blades.
