Florida Fire State Practice Exam

What material are the side windows of a car typically made from?

1. Plastic

2. Tempered glass

3. Polycarbonate

4. Regular glass

The correct answer is: Tempered glass

The side windows of a car are typically made from tempered glass due to its superior safety features. Tempered glass is processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared to regular glass. It is designed to shatter into small, blunt pieces rather than sharp shards upon impact, thereby reducing the risk of injury in the event of an accident. This characteristic is essential for vehicle safety, particularly for the windows that passengers may be in close proximity to. While other materials such as plastic or polycarbonate are used in some applications, they do not generally provide the same level of clarity and shatter resistance as tempered glass. Regular glass, on the other hand, lacks the safety improvements that tempered glass offers, making it less suitable for automotive use, especially for side windows that may be subjected to impact or stress.