Driving is an important part of life since many people use it as their primary mode of transportation. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and a lot of people may end up in a vehicle accident at some point in their lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorists report between 5 and 6 million accidents annually. Those accidents commonly cause vehicular damage that should be addressed right away. Here are some of the more significant dangers associated with delaying collision repairs after an accident.

Auto Insurer Might Deny a Claim

If you intend to file an auto insurance claim to pay for accident repairs, you need to do so as soon as possible after an accident. Any delays in filing your claim or fixing your vehicle might cause the insurer to deny your claim. When you get your vehicle fixed right away, it’s easier to show the accident caused the damage. The longer you delay the repair work, the more likely an insurer will declare the damage to be caused by something other than the accident and refuse to pay to fix it.

Vehicle Might Sustain More Damage

Procrastinating on collision repairs could cause more damage to occur. An exposed piece of metal or a body part might be vulnerable to additional damage while driving over a speed bump, curb, or pothole. There are lots of ways that existing body damage might worsen, such as the weather corroding pieces and parts, which could lead to the onset of rust. The sooner you fix it, the less likely additional problems might arise.

Vehicle Might Be Unsafe

A damaged body might make it harder to keep one or more doors closed or possibly cause a hood, trunk, or hatch to loosen and fly open when you are driving. Even when everything stays in place, driving a vehicle with collision damage might cause you to drive with a light out or a damaged part blocking part of your view. You also might hear annoying wind or whistling sounds caused by damaged body parts that distract you while driving.

The Damage Could Cause Another Accident

Collision damage could make a vehicle more dangerous to put on the road and might trigger another accident. If that happens, you might be liable due to delaying the collision repairs from the prior accident. An insurer is more likely to deny your claim if you negligently drove a defective vehicle that you should have repaired, and a court might hold you liable.

If your vehicle needs collision work done, don't put it off. We're here to help you with any collision repairs you may need. Call or visit Reilly's Auto Body to get an estimate and schedule work on your car.