We might be familiar with individual stages of collision repair and the events following a car accident, but does everyone know all the steps that should be followed? Car accidents are stressful and overwhelming. This guide will aim to ease the stress and provide a car repair process overview.
Immediately following a collision
Get safe and call 911 (if needed)
Your first priority after causing, participating in, or witnessing a vehicle collision is to get to safety. If the cars are still movable, get them out of the way of traffic. If they can’t be moved, get out and get off the road. The scenarios will vary, but it’s easier (and less serious) to fix a car than a person.
When needed, also call 911. If no one is injured and the collision was just a simple bump into a pillar, you might not need to call 911. If you’re unsure, call your local police station for guidance.
Calling the authorities is necessary when a police report is needed. This can also depend on where the accident happened and your region. Police reports are sometimes needed if you plan on looping in your insurance.
Start documenting
Whether the accident involved multiple parties or vehicles, it’s a good rule to take pictures of what happened as well as write down or record any details. In the moment, you might feel like you’ll remember all the necessary details, but the adrenaline can be misleading and when you start to calm down, some of those details could get lost and forgotten.
Take care of yourself and others
You don’t need to immediately take your car to a collision repair center. That step is coming, but first, make sure you and anyone else involved have the resources they need. If it was any kind of serious collision, do a thorough examination of yourself to ensure the adrenaline isn’t masking any pain or injuries.
Contact your insurance company
When your safety is secured and the details have been documented, now is when you can contact your insurance company, if you plan on using them. Some people will choose not to for smaller accidents that won’t cost as much as their deductible.
The car repair process overview
Find your nearby Simplicity Car Care location
To make things easier, Simplicity Car Care has many locations to choose from. We offer simple booking, reduced costs, expert guidance, and convenient hours. Find a location near you to start the collision repair process.
Get a professional assessment
At Simplicity Car Care, we start with a professional assessment. This isn’t an option if you’re doing a repair on your own, or going to an unqualified shop. A proper initial inspection will reveal all the ways the vehicle has been affected by the collision and what repairs are necessary to properly fix it.
Get an estimate
Once we’ve properly analyzed the vehicle, we can then give you a more accurate estimate. This is the stage where you can decide whether or not to bring in your insurance company. The estimate will also outline everything that needs to be done to your car, and, in some cases, you’ll have the opportunity to prioritize certain repairs and push others to another date if needed.
Drop off your vehicle
Once the estimate is clear and a decision has been agreed upon, it’s time to drop off the vehicle for its collision repair. Depending on the state of the vehicle, it might be towed to the shop or dropped off by the owner if it’s still driveable.
What to expect during car repair
Disassembly
First, we’ll start with disassembly where necessary to reveal any parts of the vehicle that require attention. There are so many inner workings of a vehicle that can’t always be accessed from the outside. And even though collisions will happen to the exterior of the vehicle, it’s often the insides that require the most attention.
Parts ordering
Next, collision repair mechanics will find out what parts they need to order that can’t simply be repaired and send in that request to the dealership or another party. If the parts are more common (this varies per make and model) they will come pretty quickly.
Repairs
With the necessary parts at hand, mechanics can start the collision repair. Some repairs will be able to happen without new parts. For example, fixing dents and scrapes.
Painting
Simplicity Car Care matches the colour of your car perfectly in the painting step. Painting can be the solution to scrapes and dings in the car and can return the vehicle to its original look.
Reassembly
Once the repairs have been completed and the painting has been touched-up, reassembly begins. Everything is put back into its original place with materials meant to last and instill confidence in the driver.
Detailing
Forget that the collision ever happened and start fresh with a clean car. After reassembly, we’ll thoroughly clean the car to make it feel brand new again and ready for the road.
Inspection
Just as we start with a professional inspection, we’ll end with one to make sure any problems were addressed and there’s nothing else to worry about. We pride ourselves on quality repairs so this is an important step we never skip. We ensure the vehicle we return to you is not only better and safer than the one you brought in, but that it will provide a reliable drive without the need for further repairs.
Contact a Simplicity Car Care location near you
For your collision repair needs, there’s Simplicity Car Care with outstanding service and experience. We carefully commit to each stage of the car repair process overview to keep our clients happy and safe.
Transparency is key, so this article and others are meant to make it clear what to expect during car repair. You’ll never be blindsided or confused. If you have questions, comments, and/or concerns, don’t hesitate to bring them to us. Book an appointment with us today.
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