8 Common Auto Repairs Resulting from Accidents

If you and your vehicle have recently been involved in an accident, chances are you are facing some repairs that will need to be made before you can get back on the road. While damage can vary depending on the severity of the accident, even relatively minor repairs can be costly and time-consuming. Along with trying to find a reputable auto body repair shop to handle the repairs, you will probably be speaking numerous times with individuals from your insurance company to make sure the company will pay for any repairs deemed to be necessary for your vehicle. To learn more about what happens after an accident, here are eight common auto repairs you will likely encounter along the way.

Cracked Windshields

If you are involved in an accident of any severity, chances are your windshield will get cracked or broken. In these cases, it can be either a small crack, or one where the entire windshield will need to be replaced. If it is a relatively small crack, it can often be chemically repaired. However, if the crack is larger or the windshield is substantially broken, a new windshield will be required. These repairs must be made immediately, since most vehicles will not pass a state inspection with a cracked or damaged windshield.

Front Bumper

In most accidents, the front bumper sustains significant damage. Whether it is just a few scrapes or a dented bumper that will need to be completely replaced, these repairs can be costly, but must be made to keep the car as safe as possible.

Fenders

Although easily confused with bumpers, fenders are different in that they are positioned over the frame of the wheel well. When fenders are damaged, this can not only look bad cosmetically, but also cause severe damage to the wheels and the car’s suspension system. Thus, these repairs should never be taken lightly, and should be done as soon as possible to assure the vehicle is properly aligned and safe to drive.

Rear Bumper

Perhaps the part on vehicles that gets most damaged, rear bumpers play an important role in vehicle safety. Thus, even if a rear bumper appears to be only slightly damaged, get it examined by a auto repair professional to determine if that is really the case. In many accidents, the thick foam pad underneath the bumper gets damaged. Since it is the foam pad that actually protects vehicle occupants during an accident, it should be replaced if needed. Otherwise, if another accident occurs, the bumper will not offer the level of protection for which it was designed.

Headlights

In a front-end collision, headlights are often cracked or broken. Since these are required for driving after dark, always make sure they are repaired or replaced with ones that are of the highest quality.

Hood

If the vehicle’s hood has been damaged, make this a top priority when it comes to repairs. This is critical, since if the hood does not latch properly, it could potentially pop up while you are driving down the road, blocking your view and leading to a tragic accident. Also, if you fail to have your hood adequately repaired and are involved in another accident, it may not crumple as intended by engineers. Instead, it will likely be pushed back into the vehicle’s passenger area, causing severe injuries to those inside.

Trunk Lid

Just like the hood on a vehicle, the trunk lid should also be repaired as quickly as possible. Otherwise, it also could pop open unexpectedly, blocking your view and greatly altering the aerodynamics of the car, especially if you are driving at a higher rate of speed. 

Car Doors

Whether it is the front or rear doors on a vehicle, getting these repaired can go a long way toward saving your life in another accident. With many of today’s vehicles, doors have many safety features built into them, such as air bags and anti-intrusion bars. If these features are not properly repaired, they will be unable to protect you and others in the vehicle during a collision. Also, if door latches are not properly repaired, the doors could open while driving, leading to a likely tragedy while behind the wheel.