During the course of its life, your normal set of Wiper Blades will wipe the windscreen over 1 million times, and travel roughly 800 miles. Wiper Blades are usually made from natural rubber, as this gives the most hardy edge for wiping over the glass. However, being exposed to such harsh conditions, and also being exposed to the elements, can cause even the Best Wiper Blades to deteriorate quite fast. Continual exposure to sunlight, ozone and precipitation will have harmful effects on your Wiper Blades.

How regularly people change their Wiper Blades is dependent on numerous factors. One being where a person lives. A person in Northern Europe may change 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 who have these will notice they have to change their Wiper Blades less compared to normal rubber Wiper Blades.

One thing that is obvious is that in most cases, drivers aren’t replacing 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 don’t adjust their own Wiper Blades blame the puzziling amount of adapters that come with many replacement blades. Also some drivers are dissuaded by the various types of Wiper Blades available, such as Silicone Wiper Blades, as they are uninformed of the suitability for their own vehicle. Some drivers will endeavour to change the Wiper Blades themselves, and can end up damaging the hardware by using force to pull off the blade. The ensuingannoyance 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 pry the Wiper Blades off, now it’s a lot easier to do and causes less of a headache.

However, making the blades easier to change isn’t sufficient enough for some drivers, and they still aren’t replacing 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 fully. 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 unmistakeable sign it needs replacing.

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