How Windshield Wipers Have Greatly Impacted Society

Vast improvements in travel resulted from the invention of the windshield wiper.

Windshield wipers are a modern convenience that we take for granted. But prior to the 1920s, automobiles were not equipped with wipers and this impeded drivers from traveling during inclement weather.

History

Drivers had to manually wipe away precipitation prior to windshield wipers.

Mary Anderson is credited with inventing the first windshield wiper prototype in 1903. She was inspired during a trolley car ride in New York City during a sleet storm. The patent she obtained for her invention went unused due to a lack of interest in the idea. Oddly enough, critics felt it would be too distracting to drivers and would result in accidents. But by 1916, windshield wipers had become a standard feature on all cars.

Significance

Windshield wipers resulted in increased speed for travel.

The impact of this seemingly simple invention has been profound. Prior to windshield wipers, even a simple rainstorm could cancel a drive because it was too dangerous. Drivers also had to limit the distance they would drive for fear of not being able to return home if inclement weather arrived. Speed of travel was also greatly enhanced by this invention, as drivers could see what was ahead of them with a clearer view.

Benefits

Our roadways are safer due to the invention of windshield wipers.

Increased safety is probably the most important benefit of windshield wipers. It was actually after the first known accident, when a roadster bumped a cyclist on a rainy night in Buffalo, that Tri-Continental Corporation determined it was time to create a device to make driving in poor weather safer. Today Trico is the leading manufacturer of windshield wiping products and systems.

References

• History: This Day in History: Mary Anderson Patents Windshield Wipe
• Fix My Windshield: History of Windshield Wipers