Protecting Precious Cargo

Jon Fransway knows more than he ever wanted to about auto glass safety. Nearly 10 years ago, he lost his 25-year-old sister, Jeanne, after an auto accident in which she was ejected from her vehicle when the car's windshield separated from its frame. The windshield of Jeanne's vehicle had recently been replaced — incorrectly, as it turned out — and she was thrown more than 70 feet during the wreck and died shortly thereafter.

Safety First

Few people realize that the glass in their cars plays an important role in the passenger retention system. In the event of accident, a properly installed windshield will actually help keep passengers inside the car. In vehicles with passenger-side airbags, proper windshield installation is especially crucial to ensure that those airbags function correctly.

When the airbag deploys, it expands in all directions — forward (toward the passenger); sideways toward the doors; and upward (toward the windshield). If the windshield detaches from the frame during a crash that deploys the airbag, then the airbag will follow, and so might the passenger. The hole left by the windshield creates an opening for the airbag, rather than providing a stable barrier to keep it — and the passenger — in the car.

Fransway's story aired on the ABC News show 20/20, along with that of Tracy Rhyne, who was left a quadriplegic after a similar accident. While the general public may not remember that specific show or the lessons it provided, the auto glass industry does. Auto glass industry leaders have been working for years to make proper installation a priority. In fact, those involved were working on stringent safety standards long before Fransway's sister's death in 1999 and the 20/20 expos? that told her story in 2000.

The result of this work was the formation of the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS) Council Inc., and the AGRSS Standard. Approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the standard defines proper procedures for replacing auto glass. The council itself is a not-for-profit corporation with 52 industry leaders representing all segments of the auto glass industry. It oversees the development, maintenance, and usage of the standard. It also administers an AGRSS registration program for auto glass providers, along with consumer awareness programs and outreach.

Getting AGRSS-ive

One of the purposes of the AGRSS standard is “to guide the industry in auto glass replacement procedures that meets the pertinent Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requirements.” In order to do that, the standard provides the installation technician with selection criteria for appropriate glass and retention system for each job. In addition to offering clear definitions of all terms used in the standard, the seven-page document also describes how to choose and apply adhesive; how to handle proper drive-away times with the customer; and what is expected of installation technicians with respect to using rubber gaskets, mechanically fastened auto glass parts, or other elements of windshield replacement, such as the rearview mirror.

The standard addresses most auto glass replacement jobs and provides step-by-step descriptions to facilitate safe installment that will ultimately protect the consumer after the vehicle is ready to be driven out of the shop. While it doesn't expressly dictate technician attire, it does require appropriate safety equipment and traceability of all job components, from the glass to the retention system elements. Education is outlined in the standard, which requires auto glass technicians to complete “a comprehensive training program with a final exam and a continuing education component.”

Beginning of an Era

A lot can happen in a decade, and the auto glass industry is proof of that. Last year marked the 10th anniversary of the AGRSS Standard. Behind the effort was — and still is — a diverse group of industry leaders dedicated to changing the way auto glass replacements are performed, with the overarching goal of uncompromised consumer safety. Today, the AGRSS Council's mission statement is to make every auto glass replacement safer through various measures, including:

• Developing and maintaining replacement standards;
• Educating and accrediting the industry; and
• Promoting awareness of the standard to the insurance industry and driving public at large.

Having met the first goal, the organization has turned its attention to the latter areas and has made strides to disseminate its message. Those in the industry who have embraced the AGRSS Standard are, in a way, working together to bring more professionalism to the industry and raise the bar for meeting consumer expectations. As more auto glass service providers register with AGRSS, there will be more technicians performing work of a similar — and theoretically higher — caliber. Shops can continue to promote the standard to their consumers and explain the importance of safe windshield replacements. This also provides a means by which shops can distinguish themselves from others that have not registered with AGRSS.

The fact is that AGRSS-registered companies are no longer an anomaly. They can be found in every state and in many communities. Not only do these companies provide quality workmanship, but their owners have also pledged that the company and its employees are putting the consumer's safety first. According to AGRSS, consumers have a better chance of the vehicle windshield being replaced to near factory-standards with registered companies. In a matter of months, AGRSS-registered businesses nationwide will prepare for a newly enhanced registration program that will require them to prove to a third-party validator that the company is adhering to the standard.

Standard Defense

The AGRSS Council's efforts to gain the acceptance of the insurance industry have not gone unrewarded. In 2005, State Farm Insurance became the first insurer to add language referencing the AGRSS Standard in its Offer and Acceptance (O&A) letters for auto glass shops. Other insurance companies quickly followed. Today, many insurers reference the standard. LYNX services also tracks AGRSS-registered companies through its METRYX database.

Corporate offices have embraced the AGRSS Standard enough to add specific language that references the guidelines in contracts with auto glass companies. The motivating force behind the growing adoption of the standard is the threat of liability. One manufacturer conducted an independent study that showed that, on average, there is at least one fatal accident that occurs every two weeks involving a car that underwent windshield replacement within the previous 48 hours. In recent years, fatal rollover accidents and the resulting lawsuits have put the spotlight on allegedly faulty vehicle equipment or services. The insurance company's — or the referring agent's — liability isn't far behind.

If a person is catastrophically injured or killed in a car accident because the windshield was not installed properly, then the insurer or referring agent could be found negligent if the insurer recommended the shop that performed the replacement. The insurance company has a “duty of care” to provide proper vehicle repairs to its policyholders, and that extends to windshield replacements.

Cindy Ketcherside is the chairperson of the board of directors of the Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards (AGRSS) Council Inc. She may be reached at www.agrss.com.