Driving when rear window has been smashed - illegal or just frowned upon?

YraggarY

Hi folks,

Just wanted to get your ideas on this. Or if any of you have any experience doing so, please relate your experiences.

My rear windscreen was smashed in Dublin last night, and I have to drive 60km / roughly 45 mins on the M50 to get to someone with a second hand one. It's a Toyota Sera, and with this car if the rear window gets smashed you're basically left with no rear upper hatch. I have it covered with bubblewrap (which brings the visibility out the back down to nil - a lot of commercial vans have no rear windscreen which makes me unsure if it's illegal to drive with it covered), but was wondering if I would be able to drive it out to the person with the spare, or if I would have to get a recovery truck to move it?

I spent €100 last night getting it brought home as I was unsure of the legality of it, and would rather not have to spend any more money moving it if I can drive it myself.

I can fit the new rear hatch when I'm out there so driving back wouldn't be a problem.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers guys!

- Gary

listermint

im pretty sure its not illegal.

The windscreen is the important part, not the rear window.

Gophur

Illegal? Perhaps but only under the grounds your car would be unroadworthy.

Driving it to a place for repair would get you past 99.9% of any Gardai.

Do be aware, with the open window, you will be sucking exhaust fumes into the cabin of your car. Very unhealthy, unless you drive with the front window(s) slightly open, to allow flow of air out through the rear window.

Tefral

YraggarY wrote: »

Hi folks,

Just wanted to get your ideas on this. Or if any of you have any experience doing so, please relate your experiences.

My rear windscreen was smashed in Dublin last night, and I have to drive 60km / roughly 45 mins on the M50 to get to someone with a second hand one. It's a Toyota Sera, and with this car if the rear window gets smashed you're basically left with no rear upper hatch. I have it covered with bubblewrap (which brings the visibility out the back down to nil - a lot of commercial vans have no rear windscreen which makes me unsure if it's illegal to drive with it covered), but was wondering if I would be able to drive it out to the person with the spare, or if I would have to get a recovery truck to move it?

I spent €100 last night getting it brought home as I was unsure of the legality of it, and would rather not have to spend any more money moving it if I can drive it myself.

I can fit the new rear hatch when I'm out there so driving back wouldn't be a problem.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers guys!

- Gary

Under the construction equipment and use of vehicles regulations 1963 there is only a requirement to have a windscreen not a rear screen.

As long as there is no structural integrity lost to the vehicle ( which there isn't) then it's not gonna be illegal in my opinion.

Just make sure no glass pieces etc are I. Danger of falling on to a public road while driving

YraggarY

Thanks for the tip Gophur!

I just called Greystones Garda station and was told that it could technically be classed as a dangerous defect but he told me that if I'm stopped, once it's well secured and I explain the situation I should be alright. Should being the keyword.
If I remove the bubble wrap it'll be something like a Jeep Wrangler style, no rear glass, so am thinking that might be a better option? Am I crazy?
Anybody else have any experience of driving without a rear windscreen?

si_guru

Illegal - no... Freelander? Elise? ..have removeable rear window.

Dangersous... VERY. As pointed out above you run the risk of gassing yourself.

EDIT: As usual the Gardai have no clue about the law.

YraggarY

Thanks cronin_j, I'll find the relevant legislation and print it out.

keithclancy

Cabriolets seem to do just fine without a rear windscreen or a roof for that matter

MagicSean

si_guru wrote: »

Illegal - no... Freelander? Elise? ..have removeable rear window.

Dangersous... VERY. As pointed out above you run the risk of gassing yourself.

EDIT: As usual the Gardai have no clue about the law.

Please quote the legislation they have no clue about.

YraggarY

si_guru, it shouldn't get trapped in the cabin as it's basically the rear of the car behind the roof crossmember so there's quite a large hole.
Bad quality image, sorry, and not my car but the same model.