During a lifetime of driving, almost everybody will encounter some type of collision damage, whether it be caused by somebody else or themselves. The Australian roads are extremely busy these days, and it's unfortunate that many people do not pay as much attention as they should. If somebody is looking down to try and adjust their radio as they are approaching a stoplight, they may run into the back of your car instead. What should you do in this circumstance, even though you suspect that damage may be "minimal?"
Having a Closer Look
When you've experienced that jolt from the rear, your first reaction will be to jump out of the car and see how much damage has been caused by the other driver. Of course, you will exchange details if needed, but you may be relatively happy that there doesn't appear to be any damage, per se. Don't jump to conclusions too soon, however, as you will need to see if there are any hidden repercussions.
Flimsy Protection
The modern car features a lot of external components that are purely aesthetic, and some jurisdictions insist that bumpers are meant to deform as quickly as possible. This means that they will not necessarily provide as much protection to your vehicle as their very name might suggest. In other words, there could be some damage to the frame of the vehicle behind these elements, and you can't always rely on visual appearance.
Does the Vehicle "Crab?"
After you have swapped insurance details with the other driver, pay close attention to the way that the vehicle performs when you're driving away. Do you feel some tension in the steering, and does it tend to pull to one side or another? Listen out for any strange noises, and in particular be aware of any vibrations at any speed when the car is moving. This can indicate that the alignment has been affected and it will need to be fixed, or other problems could materialise.
Does Everything Fit?
If you have a car with rear doors or a tailgate, open and close these carefully to see if they are still in proper alignment. Even a relatively small rear collision can cause damage to the frame, and you will certainly want to investigate and fix any issues for safety's sake.
Your Repair Options
The good news is that an auto body repair shop, like Dandy Smash Repairs, is set up to identify any of these problems for you, and they can use specialist "jigging" equipment to realign the crucial components of your car, if needed.
Share2 November 2017
My name is Donna, and I love my toys! I have an ATV, a caravan, a boat and a range of other "toys". I find that there is a lot of information online about auto service but not that much about servicing fun types of vehicles. Inspired by the phrase "be the change you want to see in the world", I decided to start a blog full of information that is usually hard to find online. I will write about servicing toys, vintage cars, sports cars and a range of other topics. I hope that you like these posts and that you learn from them. Thanks for reading and enjoy your toys.