Windshield Wipers Worn Out? New Yorkers Admit They Don’t Know How To Replace Them

It’s not something that we think about until it happens....the dreaded replacement of our vehicle’s windshield wipers.

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Anyone who has found themselves on the side of the road in the middle of winter using their coat sleeve to rub slush off their windshield knows how important it is to know how to install windshield wipers but how many of us know how to?

Not many, apparently.

Windshield wipers are one of the most essential safety features of a car, especially during bad weather. Windshield wipers that are worn out or broken can not only make driving difficult but can cause accidents.

And yet, here we are.

A new survey discovered that more than half of drivers in New York don’t know how to replace their windshield wipers. Even more, 52 percent of people say they’ve never even attempted to change their wipers and 23 percent of people say they don’t even know if their vehicle needs new windshield wipers!

A little bit scary, don’t you think?

Replacing wipers isn't rocket science, but it does require a bit of knowledge. Typically, wipers need to be replaced every six months to a year, depending on the brand and how much you use them.

If you’re not sure if your windshield wipers need to be replaced or not is if your windshield is steaky after you use your wipers or if when you have them turned on, they skip around. Worn-out wiper blades also a screeching or squeaking noise. To inspect your wipers, just look at the rubber blades for signs of cracks, tears, or stiffness.

To remove your windshield wipers, you typically just need to lift the wiper arm, remove the old blade, and attach the new blade. If you’re not sure or comfortable, you can either go to an auto store or garage and ask for help. If you’re feeling a little confident but not quite, you can check out a step-by-step guide on YouTube.

Whatever you do though, please don't drive around with bad windshield wipers. Things could go awfully wrong for you - or worse, for someone you're sharing the road with.