During the course of its life, your standard set of Wiper Blades will wipe the windscreen over 1 million times, and travel over 800 miles. Wiper Blades as a rule are made from natural rubber, as this gives the most resilient edge for wiping over the glass. However, being exposed to such wear and tear, 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 detrimental effects on your Wiper Blades.

How often people replace their Wiper Blades depends on numerous factors. One being where a person lives. A person living 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 frequently, due to the drier climate. Another factor is the type of wiper blade being used. The Best Wiper Blades are silicone wiper blades, and people with these blades equipped will notice they have to change their Wiper Blades less frequently compared to normal rubber Wiper Blades.

One thing that is evident 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 shows that 60% of car owners who don’t 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 different types of Wiper Blades available, such as Silicone Windscreen Wipers, as they are uncertain of the suitability for their own car. Some drivers will attempt to change the Wiper Blades themselves, and can end up damaging the hardware by using force to pull off the blade. The resultantannoyance 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 prise the Wiper Blades off, now it’s much easier to do and causes less aggrevation.

However, making the blades easier to change isn’t 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 superb, 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 replacing. The blade simply replicates the ageing process by changing from black to yellow, giving an understandable sign it needs replacing.

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