Oil Industry Drives in a Growing Number of Rock Chip Repairs - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Oil Industry Drives in a Growing Number of Rock Chip Repairs

You may be pressing your luck with the Powerball drawing, but drivers in oil country take a chance every day.

When driving on roads out west, odds are good that you may get picked by a piece of flying rock.

In Dickinson, Just-In Glass has a lot of repeat customers lately.

Increased traffic is driving in business for everything from rock chip repairs to complete windshield replacements.

"People are dragging gravel into their tires, then it's on the highways, so the highways are another spot where you can get a rock chip." says Justin Olson/Just-In Glass Owner.

Windows break for various reasons on all roads, but there's no doubt, the impact of the oil boom, has a growing number or drivers making a detour to the shop.

If you have a rock chip, Olson says you should not use your defroster to avoid your small problem growing into a big one.

"It's better to let your vehicle warm up from underneath, out the vents from the front instead of hitting that hot air on the cold windshield, that will make a rock chip spread." says Justin Olson.

"Highway 22 North to Killdeer, North to New Town, those roads are under construction, lot of people they stop here, poor place to drive if you don't want to get a rock chip." says Olson.

It's a reflection of just one more risk you take on the road.

Olson says replacing a windshield can cost two to three hundred dollars.

Just-In Glass has actually outgrown their space because of big business.

They will open at their new location on January 1st at 316 21st St. East in North Dickinson.