Not sure about the construction of current windows. But personally I wouldn't do it, but for security reasons ...like breaking in. But that is even a stretch. It is rare for someone to hit a window so hard that they shatter it and fall out. That would take alot of force I would think. My dog has run into our patio doors before and he was more hurt than the glass...lol

How close to the floor are the windows going to be? If they are less than 18" above the floor, your local code will probably require them to be tempered glass.

Yup, I was going to say the same thing. Tempered glass was required for all our window seat areas as well as for the window above the tub. It was fairly annoying b/c we added a window seat late in the game and it was $300 per window to temper the stupid thing (4 windows!)

In Va! code is I believe any window or door within 18" of the floor. So this included a couple of windows in our mbr sitting area in a addition to all of our french doors Also anything within so many feet of stairs and anything in a "wet" area no matter how high or small.
We wound up with almost as many tempered as plain.
I will be glad if it saves a terrible accident but it sure did add to our window cost!

When my stepfather was in his teens he nearly cut his entire left hand off, it cut it right to the bone. They put it on ice and were lucky to be on a military base at the time so he got instant help. He can only bend it one direction, but the doctor saved his hand.

Sliding glass door non tempered it was.

I once ran through a non-tempered sliding glass door. (It was an interior sliding glass door, between a dining room and sun room addition.) I ended up with about 100 stitches in my leg, shoulder, and arm. Luckily all my major cuts were on one of my legs, and I didn't have any serious permanent damage, but it was still a big deal. A plastic surgeon had to stitch one of my muscles back together because the glass had cut into my shin so deep.

I'm a big fan of tempered glass. I'd use it anywhere you think there is a possibility of someone going through the glass.

My BFF ran through a non-tempered glass door when she was 9. She nearly died. Her father(a doctor) held her femoral artery the whole way to the hospital. Her leg is a mess of scars, and she doesn't wear shorts ever unless the temperature gets over 100.

Tempered glass anywhere someone might go through it is well worth the money.

Pretty much universal code these days is: any door glass or glass next to a door (sidelite, transom), confused as a door, within 18" of the floor, stair area, any glass in a next to or in a shower or tub (including shower doors, shower niche shelves, etc), window seat area (not sure of the wording on this) or anything overhead (skylite type glazing)

Thank you so much, for the responses! Sounds like tempered (safety) glass is the best thing to use, in these areas. Just not worth risking an accident, to save a few dollars.

Realistically you cannot choose to not go with the Tempered Glass, I this was construction that required a permit they will not issue you a C of O with the glass not being Tempered!