Which type of vehicle glass shatters into small, non-sharp pieces?

• A. Tempered
• B. Laminated
• C. Polarized
• D. Tinted

Answer: (A)

Tempered glass is heat-treated to be much stronger and safer. The tempering creates compressive stress on the surface and tensile stress inside, so when it breaks it fractures into many small, dull fragments rather than long, sharp shards. This reduces the risk of severe cuts in a crash or during rescue operations. In vehicles, tempered glass is commonly used for side and rear windows for this safety behavior, while laminated glass is used for windshields to stay in one piece due to an interlayer that holds shards together. Optical properties like being polarized or tinted don’t determine how glass breaks, which is why tempered glass is the type that shatters into small, non-sharp pieces.