Everyday Blog

During the course of its life, your normal set of Wiper Blades will traverse the windscreen over 1 million times, and travel approximately 800 miles. Wiper Blades are quite often made from natural rubber, as this provides the most resistant edge for wiping over the glass. However, being subject to such harsh conditions, and also repeated exposure to the elements, can cause even the Best Wiper Blades to weaken quite swiftly. Frequent exposure to sunlight, ozone and precipitation will have damaging effects on your Wiper Blades.

How regularly people replace their Wiper Blades is affected by numerous factors. One being where a person lives. A person in Northern Europe may replace their wipers in time with the changing seasons; once in summer, once in winter. As you move further South into Southern Europe, the Wiper Blades are changed less often, due to the drier climate. Another factor is the type of wiper blade in use. The Best Wiper Blades are silicone wiper blades, and people with these blades equipped will notice they have to change their Wiper Blades a lot less compared to standard rubber Wiper Blades.

One thing that is apparent is that in most cases, drivers aren’t changing their Wiper Blades as regularly as they should be. Some drivers are even endangering the lives of themselves and their passengers by using Wiper Blades that aren’t up to scratch. Research indicates that 60% of car owners who do not adjust their own Wiper Blades blame the puzziling amount of adapters that come with many replacement blades. Also some drivers are put off by the various types of Wiper Blades available, such as Silicone Windscreen Wipers, as they are uncertain of the suitability for their own car. Some drivers will go toadjust the Wiper Blades themselves, and can end up damaging the hardware by using force to prise off the blade. The consequentialannoyance is enough to discourage some for good. However, Wiper Blades are much easier to change now than in previous years. Often drivers would be required to use a screwdriver to try and force the Wiper Blades off, now it’s a lot easier to do and causes less frustration.

However, making the blades easier to change isn’t sufficient enough for some drivers, and they still aren’t changing them enough. Some companies are trying to raise awareness of the need to keep your Wiper Blades in good, and that even the Best Wiper Blades need to be checked to make sure they work correctly. A company named Valeo are doing just that, by developing a set of Wiper Blades that have a ‘wear indicator,’ which allows drivers to see when their Wiper Blades need changing. The blade simply replicates the ageing process by changing from black to yellow, giving an unmistakeable sign it needs changing.

Hopefully, with companies continuing to encourage ideas like this, and increased awareness of road safety, will encourage drivers to replace their blades on a regular basis, ensuring the continued safety of driver and passengers.