Some Reminders in Getting Your Car Fixed After a Fender Bender

California, being one of the highly-motorized states in the U.S., is no stranger to motor vehicle crash incidents that result in serious injuries, fatalities, and expensive costs in property damage. These unfortunate occurrences are mostly attributed to certain factors such as distractions brought about by the use of mobile phones, as well as inclement weather conditions and fatigue. Fortunately, a large number of road accidents that happen in the state are simple fender benders, with passenger vehicle occupants, including drivers, escape unscathed.

But then, getting involved in a fender bender would definitely leave your vehicle badly-damaged. Typical vehicle parts that sustain minor to heavy damage include car doors and, of course, the car’s front and/or rear bumper. If your car is insured, then your provider can easily have your vehicle fixed right away. However, there are some reminders you need to keep in mind to make sure that your vehicle is back to its appearance before the accident happened. Here are some of them:

• Although your insurance provider can recommend a body repair shop that is capable of high-quality repairs at low costs, make sure that it is rated highly in business review sites like Yelp. If it has bad customer reviews, you might want to choose the body shop that you like.
• Inquire with the owner of the body repair shop about what replacement parts they use for repair. It would do you good if it uses new, original parts, as well as used parts. If it uses aftermarket parts, then you might want to look for another repair shop; such parts are just imitations of the original or used parts, and are usually inferior in quality and would easily deteriorate, therefore reducing the value of your vehicle.
• When you are about to pick up your refurbished vehicle, ensure that the warning lights in your dashboard are turned off. Typically in an accident, warnings lights for the airbag, low coolant, and check engine are on, and if they are after the repair, you might want to have your car’s programming fixed, as well as if there are electrical wiring that need to be replaced.

Putting these things into mind can help you a lot in ensuring that your car is back to its original condition and appearance, just like you the time you first bought it. Another reminder that you should always keep in mind in case of a fender bender is that if you feel you are injured, have yourself treated immediately. You may never know, but a whiplash injury may turn into something worse. Since fender benders are usually due to one’s negligence, you might want to seek legal assistance with a Los Angeles lawyer for brain injury and other serious injury claims.


Source: http://autos.aol.com/article/auto-body-repair-tips/

California Traffic Accidents in a Nutshell

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Despite the fact that automobile accidents are common in California, only few people are truly aware of the dangers of traffic crashes. Californians who get involved in a road accident are subjected to various types of physical and emotional injuries. Hence, it is imperative for anyone in California to learn beforehand the real dangers of traffic accidents.

Learning the statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009, 3,995 people were killed due to California road accidents. Below is the breakdown of California fatal traffic accidents by car type:

•    Automobile accidents – 1,275 (42.9%)
•    Sports utility vehicle (SUVs) and pickup accidents – 622 (20.9%)
•    Pedestrian accidents – 563 (19%)
•    Motorcycle accidents – 383 (12.9%)
•    Bicycle accidents – 99 (3.3%)
•    Large truck accidents – 27 (0.9%)

Common causes of California road accidents

In order to safely and effectively avoid road mishaps, it is vital for all California drivers and pedestrians to learn beforehand the common causes of traffic accidents. According to traffic experts and agencies, the following are the most common factors that contribute to the prevalence of road accidents in California:

Driving under the influence of alcohol – The California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) estimates that every 525 minutes, a Californian is killed due to an alcohol-related road accident.

Distracted driving – One of the common causes of California traffic accidents is distracted driving. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 15 people are killed in the United States due to distracted driving. The most common form of distracted driving is using electronic handheld devices while operating a vehicle.

Speeding – Speeding or aggressive drivers are more vulnerable to auto accidents than law-abiding motorists. According to California DMV, 28.4 percent of all California fatal car accidents in 2008 were caused by speeding drivers.

Driver fatigue – NTHSA traffic safety studies found out that roughly 100,000 car accidents occur in the country every year due to driver fatigue or drowsy driving. Furthermore, drowsy driving-related road accidents result in death of 1,550 people annually.

Legal rights of car accident victims

Tort law is implemented in the State of California; hence, car accident victims have the right to lawfully claim for personal injury damages. Under the tort law, individuals who get injured due to negligent actions of other people may assert for personal injury compensations. Additionally, accident victims have the right to be represented by legal counsels like Los Angeles attorneys in claiming for damages.