Signs that you should not drive your damaged car after an accident
Car accidents normally cause some damage to your vehicle. The one question that you might have is if you can drive your damaged car after an accident. Is it safe, or should you hire someone to tow your car away? There are many things that you should consider when you were in a car accident and you want to drive with your car right away.
Being in a car accident can leave you stranded, literally. Many people forget that not all of us have two cars, some families only have one car and it might be an older vehicle. In a minor accident, some people may feel there car is roadworthy and continue to drive it. Not because they want to, because they have to.
In some cases, it might be considered safe, while in other cases it can be really dangerous. These are some things that you should consider and look for, before you drive your car after an accident:
Any of the lights aren’t working
The first thing that you should look for before you are getting behind the wheel and driving just after an accident is the lights. This is the one thing that needs to be in perfect condition. If the lights aren’t working, you have a huge chance of getting into another accident.
Or, you can get into some serious trouble, because you are driving with a car without lights. Inspect the car and ask someone to assist you to see if all the lights are still in a working order. If not, hire a tow truck to tow your car away.
Are there any fluids leaking underneath
Leaking fluids can cause you to have a bad day when it comes to driving your car after an accident. You may not make it far at all. If you are leaking oil or transmission fluid, you might make it a mile. If you are leaking radiator fluid you might make it further. Any fluid leakage means a tow truck. Continued driving in your car after a car accident with fluid leakage means severe engine damage.
Okay, you can’t drive if your engine isn’t working. The parts around the engine should also still be in good condition. If you can’t open the car’s hood, then it is a sign you may have radiator or engine damage.. You don’t want to damage the vehicle any further, and you need to make sure that your driving isn’t going to cause more damage.
In a front end collision the radiator or the condenser could be damaged. Your AC may not work and your car could overheat causing severe engine damage.
The wheels and wheel damage
Besides the lights, this is one of the most important things to check. Too many people are driving their vehicles after an accident and don’t consider the damage that the accident had on the wheels. This can lead to another serious accident, and this time it might be worse than the previous accident.
Don’t take any chances. If the wheels are damaged, you should rather take your car in for repairs before you drive it again. The more you are going to drive, the more damage you are going to do to your vehicle and the wheels.
Wheels could be bent, tires could be cut to the point they are losing air.
Is any part of the vehicle lose?
How many of us have been driving down the interstate and have seen bumpers on the side of the road. These more than likely were a direct cause of the accident itself and they did not come off while driving. However, i have seen loose bumpers on cars that look like they could fly off and cause another accident.
This is something that many people don’t really consider. Lose parts of the vehicle that were caused by the accident. Not only can you damage the road, but the loose part can fall off and cause another accident or damage another vehicle on the road.
This is also a sign that the car might be more damaged than what you think that it should be repaired before you can drive it. Yes, there is some part of the vehicle that you can remove before driving, but this isn’t recommended.
Know what the rules and regulations in your state are before driving a damaged vehicle.
Rules for driving your damaged car
Different states have different rules and regulations about driving a damaged vehicle that was in an accident. In some states the moment that your vehicle was in an accident, the vehicle isn’t roadworthy anymore, and you can’t drive it before it is repaired again.
If this is the case, then you should make sure that you phone your insurance company and get it repaired as soon as possible. When your state doesn’t see a vehicle that was in an accident as not roadworthy, you need to when they do see the vehicle as not roadworthy. This isn’t for safety reasons, but also so that you don’t get into trouble for driving a car after its been involved in a car wreck.
The importance of getting your car repaired as soon as possible
With any vehicle that might have been in an accident, there are going to be some damage to the vehicle. You might consider driving it without getting the damaged repaired. However, is this a wise decision
Of course, it depends on how serious the accident was, but if there is significant damage to the vehicle and you consider to drive it without repairing it first, you should read this.
• If there is damage done to the electrical parts of the vehicle, driving it can cause more damage to the vehicle. It can also lead to the insurance company denying the repairs. You drove the car after the accident and made it worse or damaged it beyond repair.
• The wheels can get more damage if you drive your car after an accident, and it can lead to another, more serious accident. You can get into trouble because of neglect and if someone is injured in this type of accident, you are going to be in serious trouble. The insurance company can also deny your claim for the repairing the vehicle and to pay for the accident doctor for the injuries you might sustain.
Checklist for making sure your vehicle is safe to drive
This checklist is going to make sure that your vehicle is fine enough for you to drive further. Or, to know that you should rather get the vehicle towed and repaired before driving.
- The lights on your vehicle should be in place and in working order
- The engine should be working as well as all the other electrical parts of the vehicle
Blinkers
Headlights
Brake Lights
Alternator Charging
Ac working (if not, you could have a ruptured condenser)
Fluids under car, any fluids underneath is a no go situation
Any parts loose that could fly off , bumper, lights, plastic parts
- There should be no parts of the vehicle that can be a danger to other road users and that can cause any damage to the road or road users. ( bumpers about to fall off)
- If any fluids are running from the vehicle to the road. Not only are you going to damage your vehicle further, you won’t know if this is gas, water or oil that is running out of your car.
- If your vehicle isn’t damaged a lot, but you sustained an injury. You don’t know the extent of your injuries. Go see an accident doctor before you are getting behind the wheel again.
Being in an accident is scary and you might just want to get home to get over the shock. However, you should make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive. That you are going to be safe, driving back home. With this information and tips, you will know for sure that you are going to be safe, driving your vehicle after the accident. Remember, that if you don’t feel perfect and you might have an injury, it is better to go to an accident doctor before you are driving your vehicle again.